Why do athletes deny abuse in sports? Qualitative analysis of reasons and consequences of denial

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Department of Sports Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
2 Department of Criminology, Faculty of Law and Politics, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
10.22034/ntsmj.2024.2038179.1115
Abstract
Sports is a complex cultural and social phenomenon, in addition to physical activities, includes various harassments that cannot be denied. Therefore, it is very important to have accurate information in the follow-up and prevention of these issues. The purpose of this research is to identify the reasons for denying abuse and the consequences of abuse in sports. Using the qualitative method, data were collected through semi-structured interviews. The participants in this research were professors, specialists, experts and experts in the field of abuse in sports. In order to analyze the data, the theme analysis method was used. The findings of this research show that the reasons for denying abuse in sports include socio-cultural problems, maintaining organizational credibility, difficult follow-up, threats to follow up, fear of scandal, rejection from the family and Character weakness. Also, the consequences of denying abuse in sports include the continuation of abuse, the destruction of the organization, normalization, various injuries to the athlete, difficulty in prevention and treatment, and committing in another place and time. Establishing a reliable system for receiving such reports and emphasizing the confidentiality of this information can make it easier to disclose abuse and prevent more serious consequences.
Keywords

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