Draw the line

English

Draw the line

Sport is good for your health, teaches teamwork, discipline and problem-solving, but above all, it’s fun!

Unfortunately, sometimes athletes find themselves the victims of harassment and abuse. When this happens, sport very quickly stops being fun and becomes a very scary and isolating place.

Through ten scenarios, discover what harassment and abuse in sport means; the forms it can take; how you can identify and prevent it; and ultimately how you can protect yourself and others.

Draw the line

Last week, we lost the game. Our team manager was not happy. At our next practice, he wouldn’t let us drink any water; and it was a hot day! I felt like I would faint and felt very sick that night.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

The health and wellbeing of athletes should be the priority for everyone involved in sport. This training session sounds like it might have been unsafe.

Being exposed to an unsafe sporting environment comes under the term neglect, which is a form of harassment and abuse.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

If you are ever feeling unwell and unable to train or compete it is not your fault.

In this situation, it sounds like the sporting environment posed a risk to the athletes’ health. The coach failed to protect the athlete from the environmental risk. This is called neglect. It is a form of harassment and abuse.

Correct Answer

This situation left athletes exposed to danger in an unsafe sporting environment. This is considered as a form of harassment and abuse and is called neglect.

Neglect can be defined as the failure of a coach or another person with a duty of care towards the athlete to provide a minimum level of care to the athlete, which is causing harm, allowing harm to be caused, or creating an imminent danger of harm.

Draw the line

When I joined the team there was an initiation ceremony. As the new player they made me take part in a drinking competition and do dares that made me extremely uncomfortable. They said I had to do it, to be part of the team.

IS THIS OK?

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This situation, where new team members are made to do degrading or dangerous tasks to be part of the team is called hazing - a form of harassment and abuse.

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Initiation rituals that make one feel uncomfortable is called hazing, and is a form of abuse. Sport participation should be based on respect, on and off the field of play.

Correct Answer

This situation describes hazing. Hazing can be defined as an organised, usually team-based, form of bullying in sport, involving degrading and hazardous initiation of new team members by veteran team members.

Hazing is a form of harassment and abuse.

Draw the line

The biggest competition of the season is coming up but I have a problem with my foot. The doctor says I can’t play. My coach agrees and left me off the team but I don’t want to miss this opportunity.

Is the coach, right?

Correct Answer

Your coach has the responsibility to look after your health and to follow the medical practitioner’s advice.

In fact, if the coach had required you to play, they would have put your health at risk. This is called neglect, and it is a form of harassment and abuse.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

As an athlete, it is normal that you want to participate in your sport, especially if the game is an important one. However, your coach has the responsibility to look after your health and to follow the medical practitioner’s advice. In fact, requiring an athlete to train when injured or in pain counts as physical abuse, which is a form of harassment and abuse.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

As an athlete, it is normal that you want to participate in your sport, especially if the game is an important one. However, your coach has the responsibility to look after your health and to follow the medical practitioner’s advice. In fact, requiring an athlete to train when injured or in pain is considered a form of physical abuse, which is a form of harassment and abuse.

Draw the line

My favourite team had a big game last night, but in the last-minute the captain missed the shot and we lost. It is so unfair. We found his profile on social media and started to troll him.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

This is cyber bulling (bullying online). The impacts of bullying and all forms of harassment and abuse can be devastating.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

This is cyber bulling (bullying online). The impacts of bullying and all forms of harassment and abuse can be devastating.

Always treat others with respect, on and off the field of play.

Correct Answer

This is cyber bullying, a form of harassment and abuse. The impacts of bullying and all forms of harassment and abuse can be devastating.

If you witness or are the victim of such behaviour, there are people and resources to help you.

Speak to your team welfare officer or somebody else that you trust.

Draw the line

There’s a younger athlete on the team. It’s great! We always make him carry and clean our kit. The other day we made him stand in front of us and dance. He doesn’t seem to mind.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

This situation, where members of the team are taking advantage of being older or longer in the team to humiliate other people counts as psychological abuse.

If you are an older or more experienced athlete, try to be a role model for other athletes, this helps to create a healthy respectful team dynamic.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

Sometimes people find it hard to speak up when they find a situation uncomfortable or distressing. That does not mean that they are happy with it.

Correct Answer

This scenario sounds like a form of harassment and abuse, called psychological abuse.

Psychological abuse can be defined as a pattern of deliberate, prolonged, repeated non-contact behaviours within a power differentiated relationship. This form of abuse is at the core of all other forms.

Draw the line

Our team volunteer is so popular; however, he makes me uncomfortable. On away trips, he often asks me to his hotel room to go over my game, and there is never anyone else around. I am just not sure if this is normal. He told me not to say anything.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

The behaviour of this volunteer would not be considered appropriate behaviour.

It is extremely important you tell your athlete safeguarding officer/ welfare officer, or use the IOC hotline.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

The behaviour of this volunteer would not be considered appropriate behaviour.

It is very important that you raise your concerns to your athlete safeguarding officer/ welfare officer.

If there is no one you feel that you can speak to, you can contact the IOC using the secure hotline.

Correct Answer

This behaviour is not appropriate.

It is very important that you raise your concerns to your athlete safeguarding officer/ welfare officer.

Systems are in place to protect everyone in sport, and it is important that you speak out about any concerns that you have.

If there is no one you feel that you can speak to, you can contact the IOC using this secure hotline.

Draw the line

All my team mates are boys. We get on well, but I don’t like it when they call me “honey” and ask me to bring them food all the time when I’m supposed to be training. I’m here to train and compete! This doesn’t feel right.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

All forms of harassment and abuse start with discrimination - treating someone differently because of their age, gender, race, and many more.

It is important to treat everyone equally and with respect.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

It is important to note that sometimes, people may not be comfortable telling us that how we treat them makes them uncomfortable or causes them distress.

The solution to this is always to treat each other equally and with respect.

Correct Answer

This athlete clearly is not comfortable and the situation described is gender discrimination and harassment.

Discrimination is at the base of all forms of harassment and abuse, as is abuse of power. It is not acceptable behaviour.

It is important to treat each other equally, and with respect.

Draw the line

One of my teammates keeps arriving at training with strange injuries. Bruises, burns. Sometimes they don’t show for practice for ages.

Should I tell someone?

Correct Answer

If you witness potential acts of harassment and abuse or have concerns about someone’s safety or well-being, it is important that you report it to your sport welfare officer.

If there is no one you feel that you can speak to, you can contact the IOC using this secure hotline.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

Having concerns that someone is the victim of harassment and abuse and not reporting this is known as the bystander effect.

In keeping silent and not reporting our concerns, we may create the impression for the victims that harassment and abuse is legally and socially acceptable.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

Having concerns that someone is being hurt or harmed and not telling someone in authority is known as the bystander effect.

In keeping silent and not reporting our concerns, we may create the impression for the victim that harassment and abuse is legally and socially acceptable.

Draw the line

A group of athletes see a female volunteer at the food and beverage counter. They start to whistle when she walks past, and shout out lewd comments.

IS THIS OK?

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

This behaviour is not respectful and can be very intimidating.

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This behaviour is not respectful and can be very intimidating.

Correct Answer

You should always treat everyone with respect.

Draw the line

I recently visited the team physio for a check-up and I left feeling uneasy. At one point she touched me in a place which made me very uncomfortable. She told me that there was no need to tell anyone about the examination.

Am I right to think this was inappropriate?

Correct Answer

Inappropriate touching should always be reported.

If you have concerns, it is important you speak to your sport welfare officer or contact the IOC using this secure hotline.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

No one should ever touch you in places that make you feel uncomfortable. Even if it was part of a legitimate a medical practice there are rules around this.

Incorrect. Try to answer again.

No one should ever touch you in places that make you feel uncomfortable. Even if it was part of a legitimate a medical practice there are rules around this.