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

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.