LSport, while conveying positive values such as discipline, team spirit and self-improvement, is also the scene of power struggles and power games. Particular attention must be paid to high-level athletes and athletes with disabilities, who are populations at greater risk of being victims of violence.
Psychological, physical or sexual, violence in sport is alive and well, rooted in a closed environment, where omerta is obvious. Revealing facts is all the more difficult, or even prevented, especially when the in-group and the logic of results are prioritized.
As in other areas, victims of violence in sport must benefit from reparation measures. This involves providing support for athletes who are victims of this violence, safe and inclusive spaces, with clear and uniform protocols, supervisors and managers trained in detecting violence, listening and redirecting victims to professionals who support them. Whether for victims in the world of sport or outside it, support must be cross-disciplinary, encompassing psychological, social and legal dimensions.
Sport cannot be seen simply as a place of violence, but also as a space for restoration. It is a place where victims can come together as a group, sharing a common goal that helps them mobilize their bodies and regain balance. By practicing physical activity, victims can restore their self-confidence, reconnect with their bodies and restore their identity beyond that of a victim, after having suffered aggression.
Adequate public funding
Sports institutions have an opportunity to engage in a comprehensive project of support for victims, adapting activities according to the specific needs of each victim. This implies a multidimensional and inclusive support approach. Victims should be able to use sport as a safe haven, financially and geographically accessible, in order to benefit from comprehensive and long-term support.
Victim support associations work daily in the areas of training and prevention, particularly in the sports environment, in addition to care protocols. Their role is essential, but their action is currently hampered by financial constraints. Adequate public funding is also necessary to strengthen the sports ecosystem as a whole. It is crucial that each sports federation has the necessary resources to offer both prevention measures and sports-based reparation projects, adapted to any type of victim.
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