Speaker
Description
Athlete maltreatment has become “one of the greatest concerns faced by governing bodies, authorities and practitioners in sport” (Stirling, 2009, p. 1901). Yet, despite this concern, maltreatment scandals continue to occur globally, with many countries remaining committed to elite sport systems for ideological and political purposes. To date, the most dominant causes of athlete maltreatment have been identified as stemming from: (1) the culture of organised sport; (2) sport organisation lack of oversight; (3) limited legal rights of athletes; and, (4) the fragmented system for addressing maltreatment (Donnelly & Kerr, 2018; Kerr et al., 2019). However, one often neglected source of maltreatment is the distinct institutionalised instruments within the elite sport system itself. In combination, these instruments operate within a ‘policy mix’ that may contribute to sustaining institutional structures and systems (Capano & Howlett, 2020). This research focuses on how policy instruments shape/reinforce the interrelated routines and practices of athletes, coaches, and administrators, but also the wider governing system that may facilitate maltreatment. Employing a multi-method approach, three consequences emerged. First, the instruments in the system are connected and complement each other to maintain the existing hierarchical structure. Second, four key instruments of the system and their potential role in contributing to maltreatment are discussed. Third, the interaction of instruments leading to maltreatment is examined. Overall, this study suggests that policy instruments reinforce the pursuit of national success, operating both via a ‘logic of consequence’ (e.g., salary negotiation) and a ‘logic of appropriateness’ (e.g., there can be no alternative).
