Protecting child athletes

Abstract Members of the athlete medical/sport science support team must be confident that athletes are benefitting from treatment, and that they are not victims of medical mismanagement. Athletes must not be treated differently to any other patient in society. This chapter discusses why protection of the child athlete is necessary, and how child athletes can be subjected to psychological abuse, which may form the gateway to other types of abuse. These can include physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect, all of which are prevalent in all sports and at all levels. It also covers particularly vulnerable groups of child athletes, including the elite, the disabled, and the LGB (lesbian, gay, bisexual) athlete populations. It covers the many sport organizations working in the field of child athlete protection, as well as the existing statutes governing the rights and freedoms of children in sport.