Children’s rights – the next big issue for sport?

Despite sport being hailed as a good for children and society at large, there is a growing awareness of the downsides of sport that sometimes turn children into victims rather than winners. 

In a comment piece written for CRIN, a London based think tank on human rights, three members of the Play the Game staff, Søren Bang, Christina Friis Johansen and Jens Alm, argue that children’s rights should be the next big issue for sport. And for several reasons.

Firstly, many children still do not have the equal and free access to sport as promoted in international declarations. But there are also inherent risks in sport itself spanning from unleashed and unchecked competitiveness to outright harassment and, in the worst cases, sexual abuse. 

The authors argue that despite a growing acknowledgement among governments and sports organisations of how important it is to develop inclusive, engaging and safe sporting environments, sport is still challenged. Consequently, a discussion on how to adapt sport to the needs of children should be the next big issue for sport and its organisations.

Read the full comment piece on the CRIN website.