Sport4Rights: building safe spaces to grow

Data on bullying, violence, and cyberbullying in youth sport show a strong impact on psychological well-being. What are the consequences for the mental health of children and adolescents, as well as for their physical safety?
PF: The project was created with the aim of addressing a real need within sports organizations, which emerged with the sports reform requiring all entities to adopt organizational models focused on preventing abuse, harassment, and maltreatment in sports contexts. This is a legal obligation introduced in 2023, but it is rooted in work that began years earlier. As early as 2017, we at Terre des Hommes had already started a process with CONI to integrate child safeguarding into sports protocols, and later, also thanks to collaboration with UEFA, we developed specific toolkits and policies for the protection of children. At the core is a strong belief: the world of sport needs to refocus on the rights of young people and initiate a profound cultural change. The goal is to return to being a space of social interaction in which those who participate can grow in an environment free from problematic dynamics, also considering the risk linked to power imbalances, which can facilitate abusive behavior. Research shows that a very high percentage of underage athletes have experienced at least one form of abuse, often psychological and peer-related. This occurs especially in contexts where it is not possible to speak freely or report what one is experiencing. The consequences are significant: from early dropout from sport – particularly among girls – to loss of self-confidence and trust in adults, to self-harming behaviors that also affect life beyond sport. These are experiences that leave deep wounds in those who go through them. In addition to these elements, there are other factors that affect performance but are closely connected to mental health. Living in a toxic environment means, for example, not having one’s growth pace respected, not feeling free to make mistakes or experiment, and being in contexts where coaches adopt oppressive or violent methods.

The project places strong emphasis on the cultural dimension, as well as the regulatory one. What, in your view, are the most urgent changes to be implemented?
PF: Sport4Rights intervenes precisely on this level, trying to support sports organizations, which often lack internal resources such as psychologists or legal professionals. The work starts from risk assessment within the different contexts in which the team operates – from the locker room to the field, and even during away trips – and then moves on to defining policies, codes of conduct, and more respectful and effective ways of managing spaces, also for the benefit of the organization itself. The goal is to make these tools a central cultural element capable of generating a positive impact on performance as well: it is an advantage for everyone involved. An interesting example is the Norwegian model, which for several decades has banned competitive sport before the age of 13, allowing children simply to play. In Italy, by contrast, there is often excessive pressure starting as early as age 8, with a focus that is more tactical than technical. This not only limits enjoyment and the relational dimension of sport – which should be a safe and social space – but also represents a form of pressure that does not produce the expected results. In some team sports, it is increasingly difficult to develop high-level players because the pressure experienced at a young age has been excessive and has not respected the different developmental timelines of young athletes. From a regulatory perspective, policies are mandatory, but what we often observe is a simple copy-and-paste of federation documents. Our approach is different: we start from listening. We try to understand the culture of the sports organization, how daily practices are experienced, and which risks are perceived. Today, it must also be considered that a behavior that once remained confined to a few people can quickly become public through digital devices. For this reason, we work on assessing consequences and co-creating policies and codes of conduct that truly reflect the culture of the sports organization. A key step is learning to recognize abusive behavior and knowing how to intervene. A culture of reporting must be promoted, which is not a betrayal of the group but an act of responsibility: failing to address certain situations risks becoming a structural problem for the entire organization as well as for the individual. In this sense, putting the health and safety of children back at the center means working on multiple levels. We do this through on-the-ground activities, listening sessions, analysis and training with professionals, and through an e-learning platform that also uses artificial intelligence. We do not limit ourselves to child safeguarding, but also address issues such as gender equality, bullying and cyberbullying, non-violent communication, inclusion, and nutrition. All these tools are made freely available, allowing even the smallest sports organizations to access qualified training pathways.

Why did Fondazione EOS choose to support Sport4Rights?
FM: Because it concretely embodies our vision: promoting the well-being of new generations by acting in the places where they form as individuals. Sport is one of these places and represents one of the most influential educational environments in their development. For this reason, we believe it must also be one of the safest, fairest, and most rights-conscious contexts. However, data on violence and sports dropout remind us that this goal cannot be taken for granted: it must be built with skills, tools, and shared responsibility. We chose to develop Sport4Rights together with Terre des Hommes and Specchio Magico because it acts on multiple levels: building a culture of protection, training adult reference figures, also through advanced digital tools, and working in networks between organizations, families, and sports clubs. For us, it is also a cultural investment. It means contributing to a profound change that places the safety and right to well-being of every boy and girl at the center. It is a responsibility toward today’s young people, but also toward the social cohesion of tomorrow’s country.

The project presents a vision of sport as a space for growth and strengthening self-esteem. How can this approach impact well-being?
FM: Sport represents an educational, relational, and emotional space in which girls and boys build their identity, learn to be part of a group, recognize the value of rules, and develop trust in themselves and others. For young people experiencing fragility, isolation, or social exclusion, this value becomes even more evident. Sport can be the first place where they feel recognized, welcomed, and valued for who they are, not only for their performance. It can become a safeguard for psychological well-being, an antidote to loneliness, and an accelerator of self-esteem and relational skills. With Sport4Rights, we aim precisely to strengthen this dimension: to ensure that every sports field, gym, and locker room becomes an environment capable of protecting, listening, and supporting the growth of young people. We strongly believe that truly educational sport can prevent forms of distress and offer opportunities for participation and expression, especially for those at risk of being marginalized. It is in these contexts that sport expresses its highest social function: becoming a tool for equity and for the future.