In Defense of Dreams: Analyzing Legal Challenges and the Necessity of Protecting Adolescents in Iranian Football

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
eskandar hosseinpur 1
mohsen vahdani 2
najma rezasoltani 3
mohammad borna 4
ali ghobadi 1
1 Department of Physical Education, Farhangian University
2 Assistant Professor of Sport Management, Department of Motor Behavior & Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
3 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili
4 Department of psychology and counselling, Farhangian university Tehran, Iran
10.22034/ntsmj.2026.2079430.1241
Abstract
Due to legal gaps and the lack of full legal capacity of players under 18, these athletes face challenges such as exploitation, economic abuse, unfair contracts, and the violation of their educational and psychological rights. The aim of this study was to investigate the legal challenges faced by these players and to propose supportive solutions within the framework of the Iranian legal system. This research was applied in purpose and qualitative in data collection and analysis, employing a thematic analysis approach. The participant pool consisted of football club managers (8 individuals), club legal advisors (4 individuals), official judicial experts in sports affairs (4 individuals), and adolescent football players (5 individuals). Data collection was conducted through semi-structured, in-depth interviews, and validation strategies included continuous engagement with participants, alignment, utilization of critical peers, and rich description of the research process. The findings identified five main categories of legal challenges in the sports contracts of these players: 1) Legal and Juridical, 2) Financial and Economic, 3) Educational and Cultural, 4) Ethical and Protective, and 5) Social and Psychological. Addressing these challenges necessitates the adoption and implementation of fundamental solutions to safeguard the rights of these athletes during the contracting process. Applying the proposed solutions of this research can help prevent exploitation, dissatisfaction, and social harms on the path to professionalization for young players and establish a sustainable legal framework for the future of the country's sports.
Keywords
Grassroots football
sports law
football contracts
support solutions
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