Project CARE (Census of Athlete Rights Experiences) is a collaboration between the World Players Association and Loughborough University.
The World Players Association is the leading voice of organised players in the governance of world sport. It brings together 85,000 players across professional sport through more than 100 player associations in over 60 countries. The success of the project hinges on participation from key global and national player associations.
WE BELIEVE THAT PLAYERS ARE PEOPLE FIRST AND ATHLETES SECOND.
LIKEWISE, CHILD ATHLETES ARE CHILDREN FIRST, ATHLETES SECOND.
LIKEWISE, CHILD ATHLETES ARE CHILDREN FIRST, ATHLETES SECOND.
GIGI ALFORD
gigi.alford@uniglobalunion.org
+41 (0)22 365 2190
ANDREA FLORENCE
andrea.worldplayers@gmail.com
+55 11 98420 0025
DR DANEL RHIND
D.J.A.Rhind@lboro.ac.uk
+44(0)1509 223002
HAYLEY MUSSON
H.Musson@lboro.ac.uk
+44(0)1509 226358
PAMELA GILPIN
pamela@rugbyplayersireland.ie
+44 7871 571248
Project CARE (Census of Athlete Rights Experiences) aims to ensure that the rights of child athletes are promoted and protected throughout world sport.
A fundamental issue that World Players aims to address is the fact that the internationally recognized human rights of athletes are currently not embedded in world sport. Child athletes are particularly vulnerable to this gap.
A fundamental issue that World Players aims to address is the fact that the internationally recognized human rights of athletes are currently not embedded in world sport. Child athletes are particularly vulnerable to this gap.
Project CARE makes a significant contribution through addressing 3 important gaps:
GAP 1
GAP 2
The lack of representative testimonies from athletes regarding how their rights were respected in sport as children and the associated impact on their performance, health and wellbeing.
GAP 3
PROJECT CARE IS PART OF THE VISION OF THE WORLD
PLAYERS ASSOCIATION TO CHAMPION THE DIGNITY
OF THE PLAYER AND THE HUMANITY OF THE SPORT.
PLAYERS ASSOCIATION TO CHAMPION THE DIGNITY
OF THE PLAYER AND THE HUMANITY OF THE SPORT.
IN THE PURSUIT OF THIS VISION WORLD PLAYERS HAS A THREE-PART GOAL:
FIRST
the human rights of everyone involved in the delivery of sport must be protected, respected and, where needed, upheld.
SECOND
the same must be true for the players.
THIRD
the impact of sport must be positive, including in sporting, economic, environmental and cultural terms.
The 2021 CARE Report (Census of Athlete Rights Experiences) is the first global study to look at elite athletes’ experiences to understand whether and how their rights were protected as children in sport.
During the months of December 2019 – June 2020 an online questionnaire was shared with both currently active as well as former professional athletes affiliated with World Players in order to understand their childhood experiences in organized sport. The survey was made available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Japanese.
The questionnaire asked participants about their childhood experiences of the full range of rights as well as their current well-being. A total sample of 297 athletes completed the questionnaire and 13 in-depth individual interviews were conducted. In order to participate, respondents had to be a current or former professional athlete over the age of 18.
“I remember I broke my arm. Not in an athletic environment in my school. But my coach thought it was reasonable to tape up the arm, as it was a bent arm cast, and swim with it.”
National Swimmer
“I told my coach about it (sexual harassment), nothing was done. You know, the Federation knew about this guy doing things, and nothing was done. So the story of my career was, nothing was done to correct for the injustices like this.”
International Athlete
“….my rights as a girl child were not protected. The national team environment was highly sexualized. They were all male coaches. That environment was very negative.”
International Swimmer
“I feel very comfortable saying that he abused me mentally. Yeah, there was constant psychological manipulation.”
International Athlete
“You don't feel safe in an environment where you feel that you don't have agency. So I think I spent a lot of time feeling as though I didn't have any control over what happened to me in my life. I didn't have the ability to say no. I didn't have the ability to seek help from anyone, I felt very isolated.”
International Athlete
“I think that it's very important for us to have a Players Association…..I was really impressed with the collective bargaining and the rights and just the ability to speak and to have some impact on the athletes organizations, on the governing bodies, and that's really missing in my country.”
Female International Competitor
“Somebody has to be looking out for them, because they don’t have a voice… they don’t have any awareness of something that is impacting them, you know, or any way to change it, and they’re relying on other people to put the protections in place to make the environment safe.”
Female International
KEY FINDINGS
During the months of December 2019 – June 2020 an online questionnaire was shared with both currently active as well as former professional athletes affiliated with World Players in order to understand their childhood experiences in organized sport. The survey was made available in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese and Japanese.
The questionnaire asked participants about their childhood experiences of the full range of rights as well as their current well-being. A total sample of 297 athletes completed the questionnaire and 13 in-depth individual interviews were conducted. In order to participate, respondents had to be a current or former professional athlete over the age of 18.
“I remember I broke my arm. Not in an athletic environment in my school. But my coach thought it was reasonable to tape up the arm, as it was a bent arm cast, and swim with it.”
National Swimmer
“I told my coach about it (sexual harassment), nothing was done. You know, the Federation knew about this guy doing things, and nothing was done. So the story of my career was, nothing was done to correct for the injustices like this.”
International Athlete
“….my rights as a girl child were not protected. The national team environment was highly sexualized. They were all male coaches. That environment was very negative.”
International Swimmer
“I feel very comfortable saying that he abused me mentally. Yeah, there was constant psychological manipulation.”
International Athlete
“They knew that I was being manipulated and it
happened with many people before me. We were a very successful club, but the
women came out like shells of themselves, you know, and everybody around us
knew. But nobody did anything or felt they could do anything. People called us
the anorexic swim team, because we were so skinny. So it was a known factor
that these things were happening. Makes it even worse, doesn't it?”
Female Olympian
Female Olympian
“You don't feel safe in an environment where you feel that you don't have agency. So I think I spent a lot of time feeling as though I didn't have any control over what happened to me in my life. I didn't have the ability to say no. I didn't have the ability to seek help from anyone, I felt very isolated.”
International Athlete
“I think that it's very important for us to have a Players Association…..I was really impressed with the collective bargaining and the rights and just the ability to speak and to have some impact on the athletes organizations, on the governing bodies, and that's really missing in my country.”
Female International Competitor
“Somebody has to be looking out for them, because they don’t have a voice… they don’t have any awareness of something that is impacting them, you know, or any way to change it, and they’re relying on other people to put the protections in place to make the environment safe.”
Female International
KEY FINDINGS
37%
of athletes
reported having
experienced one
form of physical
abuse at least once
as a child in sport.
61%
of athletes
reported having
experienced one
form of emotional
abuse at least once
as a child in sport.
69%
of athletes
were not always
aware they had
rights when they
were children in
sports.
51%
of athletes
were never aware
of a union/player
association before
the age of 18.
45%
of athletes
did not feel sport
always promoted
their mental health.
51%
of athletes
experienced
economic
exploitation as
a child athlete.
69%
of athletes
felt that their best
interests were not
always taken into
account.
Everyone has a role to play to help embed these pillars throughout sport to ensure that the rights of all children are always respected: sports organisations, governments, civil society and trade unions, player associations, sponsors.
The RIGHTS pillars for building sport
which respects the rights of all children
OTHER REPORTS AND RESOURCES
• Gigi Alford, Sport should commit to international standards for child protection (Play the Game): Full text
• World Players statement from Executive Director Brendan Schwab on safeguarding the rights of child athletes: Watch video
• Equal Times article by World Players Director of Sport and Human Rights, Gigi Alford: “Child athletes lose big on lagging rights in sport”
• World Players Declaration on Safeguarding the Rights of Child Athletes: Full text and Infographic
• AthletesCAN, a World Players Association associate affiliate, and University of Toronto study: Prevalence of Maltreatment among Current and Former National Team Athletes in Canada
• Child Rights International Network guest article from Play the Game/Danish Institute for Sports Studies on need for more research on childhood experiences in sport: "Victims or winners: Why children’s rights should be the next big issue for sport"
• Child Rights International Network guest article from Play the Game/Danish Institute for Sports Studies on need for more research on childhood experiences in sport: "Victims or winners: Why children’s rights should be the next big issue for sport"
• International Safeguards for Children in Sport: Full text
Acknowledging the challenges in prioritising athlete welfare against medals and trophies, player associations are looking to establish policies, processes and support mechanisms to ensure survivors of abuse and harassment in sport have access to remedial justice and holistic supporting services.
“Am I saying and doing the right thing at the right time?”
The “Ready to Respond” Handbook aims at providing valuable, hands on guidance to player associations on how to exercise duty of care for athletes who are suffering effects of trauma and/or who disclose abuse or harassment in sport. While this is ultimately for the benefit of athletes, the resource is intended to be used by those who support their wellbeing.
STEP 1
Active Listening & Awareness of Rights Abuses
STEP 2
Helping Create a Safe & Supportive Environment
STEP 3
Legal, Wellbeing & Safety Considerations
STEP 4
The Impact of Trauma
STEP 5
Self-Care for You & Those Around You
Being “Ready to Respond” appropriately is a five-step process
which can be understood and summarized below as SAFER practice:
which can be understood and summarized below as SAFER practice:
Support the athlete & Seek consultation
on due process, legal and mental health issues.
Affirm the athlete in coming forward to seek help.
Find out what practical and psychological
assistance the athlete requires.
Encourage the athlete to make use of all
available support.
Reach out for your own support.
Uni Global Union, 8-10, Ave Reverdil 1260, Nyon, Switzerland
tel: +41 22 365 21 00 — e-mail: worldplayers@uniglobalunion.org
UNI is a member of Global Unions
Background image courtesy of Alessandro de Bellis