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Athletics New Zealand recently imposed a ten-year coaching ban on national pole vault coach Jeremy McColl, highlighting yet another failure of sports organizations to safeguard sportswomen. An independent investigation into McColl uncovered “serious misconduct” spanning several years, including harassment, inappropriate sexual references, and inadequate response to injuries. Unfortunately, this case is not unique, as twelve other New Zealand sports bodies, including cycling, rugby, gymnastics, canoe racing, football, and hockey, have been scrutinized for fostering cultures where sportswomen are subjected to abuse. This pattern suggests a systemic issue of gendered abuse within New Zealand’s sports system, requiring immediate action.
Abuse, encompassing neglect, physical, psychological, and sexual violence, is prevalent across all levels of sports for women, men, and children. A study of 1,665 elite athletes in Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium revealed alarmingly high rates of reported physical violence (25%), sexual violence (31%), and psychological or emotional violence (72%). Female athletes experienced abuse, particularly sexual violence, more frequently than their male counterparts. In an Australian study, 82% of 886 participants reported some form of interpersonal violence in sports during their childhood, with higher rates among girls and gender-diverse individuals. Over the past few decades, research has exposed various forms of gender-based and sexual violence in sports, predominantly perpetrated by male coaches but also involving other members of the support teams. The coach-athlete relationship inherently entails a power imbalance, which, when abused, leads to significant harm and negative health consequences. Women athletes often hesitate to report such abuse, with some even choosing to withdraw from sports altogether.
These abusive relationships commonly exist within hierarchical, patriarchal, and “win at all costs” sporting cultures. Organizational structures and systems often enable harmful practices. However, gender-based violence has also transcended into the online realm, affecting not only women athletes but also women in other roles within sports, such as officials, administrators, and volunteers. This issue is not specific to New Zealand, as investigations have exposed gender-based violence in various sports globally, where systems consistently fail to protect and support women. Unfortunately, many sports organizations and professionals still overlook this problem, prioritizing legal liability and safeguarding the reputation of the sport instead of the well-being of the athletes. Progress in addressing these issues has been slow, lacking transparency and accountability.
On a positive note, some governments and international sports organizations are developing safeguarding policies, procedures, and toolkits. An EU-led initiative produced a good practice guide for sports bodies aiming to support athletes affected by sexual violence. UNESCO recently published a handbook offering practical strategies to tackle violence against women and girls in sports, while the International Olympic Committee offers a toolkit to aid the development of better policies and procedures by national Olympic committees and international sports federations. Numerous other organizations are also dedicated to achieving these goals.
However, many sports organizations still struggle to respond adequately to these issues. It is crucial to involve athletes themselves in the development of safeguarding policies. Researchers and health professionals emphasize the need for initiatives that prioritize the athlete, integrating holistic knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices. Additionally, the amplification of risks and harms due to race, ethnicity, disability, gender identities, and sexuality must not be ignored.
Creating meaningful change demands education for all individuals involved in sports, athlete-centered policies and practices, and the establishment of safe reporting pathways. The needs of abuse survivors must be prioritized. Since women are often hesitant to report abuse, a proactive approach that rewards teams and organizations fostering positive, safe, and healthy cultures could prove more effective than punitive measures. For instance, future funding cycles could consider organizations that demonstrate evidence of such cultures. High Performance Sport New Zealand has launched a NZ$273 million strategy prioritizing athlete well-being; however, it does not specifically address the gender dynamics at play.
Mandatory education programs targeting coaches and support staff working with women athletes should be implemented. Sportswomen must feel empowered to report any concerns without fear of career repercussions or harm to their well-being. It is equally important to establish appropriate channels for individuals who witness questionable behavior to report their concerns. While an independent Sport Integrity Working Group was established by Minister of Sport Grant Robertson last year, no actions or explicit commitment to safeguarding women have been observed. Every individual deserves access to a safe sporting environment, and the safeguarding of women in sports should be treated as an urgent issue. Waiting for the next headline about yet another national sports organization or male coach under investigation is not an option. The time for change is now.
Credit: This article was written based on content from The Conversation and has been published under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article here: [link to the original article].
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