Project to protect child athletes
LOUGHBOROUGH University has collaborated with the World Players Association to launch the first global Census on Athlete Rights Experiences (Project CARE).
Project CARE is a two-year project aiming to change the way that the rights of child athletes are promoted and protected throughout world sport.
The project involves a pilot study and the formulation of clear recommendations to sport governing bodies, governments and player associations for making sport safer for child athletes.
Dr Daniel J. A. Rhind, reader in psychology at Loughborough University, co-author of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport, and lead researcher on Project CARE, said: “One of the main challenges to developing safeguarding strategies at the global level and making sure these are effective in promoting a positive athlete experience, is the current lack of data.
“We need to listen to the childhood experiences of current professional athletes such that we can better understand the prevalence of various experiences, key influencing factors and the legacy of these experiences for psychosocial well-being and performance.”
The pilot study is the first to look into the childhood experiences in organised sport of current professional athletes associated with the worldwide player union movement.
Currently, Project CARE includes the participation of the International Rugby Players, Federation of International Cricketers Associations (FICA), EU Athletes along with their affiliates The Cyclist Alliance, Associación de Jugadores de Fútbol-Sala, and the Norwegian Players’ Association (NISO), as well as the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA).