Violence in French clubs: nearly 60% of athletes affected, according to a new study
Nearly six out of ten athletes in France report having experienced violence in their clubs. Whether psychological, physical, sexual, or related to neglect, these attacks remain largely invisible, as victims rarely speak out. A study of more than 2,200 athletes provides the first accurate picture of this violence, the profiles of those affected, and the sports most at risk.
Grégoire Bosselut, University of Montpellier and Elise Marsollier
Sport is often presented as a place for personal development, pushing oneself beyond one's limits, learning, and positive values. However, behind this image lies a less rosy reality. The sporting environment, whether amateur or competitive, can also be the scene of multiple forms of violence, perpetrated by coaches, volunteers, parents, but above all by other athletes. These acts are too often trivialized or ignored. However, the line between sporting demands and abusive behavior remains blurred for many athletes.
A massive reality that remains largely invisible
Our research, conducted in France in 2024 among 2,250 athletes aged 14 to 45, sheds new light on the extent of the phenomenon in French sports clubs. It reveals that 59% of participants report having experienced at least one form of violence since joining their current club. More specifically, psychological violence is the most common form: insults, humiliation, shouting, threats, or excessive pressure are reported by nearly half of athletes (47%). This is followed by neglect (failing to care for an injured athlete – 25%), physical violence (hitting, strangling – 23%) and sexual violence (harassment, exhibitionism – 21%). These figures, which are already considerable, are probably below the actual numbers, as victims are reluctant to come forward.
These results are consistent with thoseof studies conducted abroad, which reveal that psychological abuse is the most common form of abuse in the sporting context. It is all the more insidious because it can be confused with the norms conveyed in the sporting environment or with the essential "mental strength" required for sporting performance. Athletes are thus encouraged to "toughen up," "accept pain," and "sacrifice themselves." These normalized injunctions blur the lines and can mask abusive behavior.
The survey also reveals that victims rarely experience violence in isolation, but rather a multitude of abusive behaviors that intersect or accumulate: 21% of respondents reported experiencing both psychological abuse and neglect, 15% reported psychological abuse combined with physical abuse, 10% reported both sexual abuse and neglect, and 9% reported psychological abuse combined with sexual abuse and neglect.
Team sports and men are most at risk
Team sports (soccer, rugby, handball, basketball) and combat sports appear to be the most risky, particularly in terms of physical violence between participants, probably due to frequent contact, turf wars, and team dynamics.
The athletes who appear to be most at risk are men over the age of 20 who play team sports, with 57% reporting physical violence. Conversely, precision and artistic sports, such as archery, rhythmic gymnastics, dance, and synchronized swimming, have significantly lower prevalence rates (7%).
The higher the level, the more violence becomes commonplace.
Our study also highlights a clear link between the level of sports participation and the likelihood of being a victim of violence. National and international athletes are the most vulnerable, particularly to psychological and sexual violence and neglect. For example, elite athletes under the age of 35 report 73% psychological violence.
These figures can be explained by the pursuit of results and excellence, which can create a climate conducive to excess: constant pressure, normalization of physical pain, and psychological difficulties. The idea that performance goals take precedence over everything else tends to justify behaviors that, outside the world of sports, would be considered unacceptable.
Sexual violence: two profiles particularly at risk
Sexual violence affects one-fifth of respondents (21%), with two profiles being particularly vulnerable.
On the one hand, young adults aged 20 to 34 who are involved in activities at the departmental or regional level, for whom the rate rises to 28%. It is possible that their proximity in age to management and therefore greater familiarity in their relationships contribute to this vulnerability.
On the other hand, more than a third of elite athletes (32%), regardless of gender, sport, etc., report having experienced sexual violence since joining their club. At this highly competitive level, power relations between coaches and athletes are often very asymmetrical, which can facilitate abuse. https://www.youtube.com/embed/qflcKNoYLtw?wmode=transparent&start=0 Suite (2022), a documentary by steeplechase champion Emma Oudiou on sexual violence in athletics.
Nearly 94% of young elite athletes have experienced violence.
Some groups experience multiple forms of violence. The most vulnerable profile is that of high-level athletes aged 20 to 24 who have been with their club for more than three years. Only 6% of them report no violence, while 14% say they have experienced all four forms of violence.
Another highly exposed group consists of regional team athletes who have been with their club for more than six years, 7% of whom report having experienced all four forms of violence.
In contrast, non-competitive practitioners over the age of 35 engaged in artistic or precision sports, such as archery, appear to be the least affected (81% report no violence).
Why do victims remain silent?
One phenomenon in particular caught our attention during the study: athletes who had experienced violence were also the ones who most often abandoned the questionnaire before completing it and reporting all incidents. This finding suggests that the figures for violence are underestimated.
Simply talking about the violence they have suffered may trigger emotions that are difficult to manage, causing participants to stop responding. Some may also hesitate to confront their memories or put traumatic experiences into words, resulting in a form of avoidance. This withdrawal mechanism reveals that physical, neglectful, and sexual violence are likely underestimated in the final data and, more broadly, in the current literature.
This bias reminds us that a significant number of victims of violence in sport remain invisible, both in surveys and in society. It highlights a major challenge for future work: how can we gather the testimonies of these suffering athletes without causing them emotional distress?
A major challenge for French sport
Our study invites reflection on the changes needed to ensure that sports clubs, whether competitive or not, become places free from violence: better training for educators and coaches, and greater awareness among athletes of what constitutes violence and what does not.
Sport can and must remain a space for empowerment. But for that to happen, it must cease to be, for too many athletes, a space where violence—especially the most invisible forms—is still too often silenced.
Grégoire Bosselut, Senior Lecturer, specialist in social psychology applied to sport, University of Montpellier and Elise Marsollier, Researcher in sports psychology (Laboratory on Vulnerabilities and Innovation in Sport (L-ViS) – Claude Bernard Lyon 1 University), mental coach, trainer in mental preparation/ethics & integrity (National Institute of Water Sports)
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Readthe original article.