Citation

Cholewinski H. Child. Leg. Rights J. 2021; 41(2): 178-182.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Children's Legal Rights Information and Training Program)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The trial of U.S. Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar was one of the first times the American public heard of blatant abuses perpetrated against young, elite athletes. Four years later, the ripples are still felt throughout society. In 2020, Netflix released Athlete A, a documentary that chronicles the abuse elite gymnasts experienced not only at the hands of Nassar, but at the hands of the trainers, administrators, and coaches of the U.S. National Gymnastics Team. However, this is far from the first instance of athlete abuse that played out on national television. Few can forget the "heroic" moment of the 1996 Olympics when Kerry Strug completed a vault on a sprained and torn ankle after being told by U.S. Coach Bela Karolyi "[Y]ou better do it," or when figure skater Bradie Tennell performed for the entirety of the 2016 season with stress fractures across various lumbar vertebra in her back. Few will soon forget the grueling doping schedule put in place by the Russian authorities to ensure their athletes dominated the 2014 Sochi Olympics. No matter the country, there is one common thread: the ongoing abuse of our young elite athletes in the name of high medal counts at the Olympics and other international sporting events.

As we approach the 2021 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, a question everyone should be asking is what kind of protections are put in place for these athletes, particularly for elite child athletes who commonly participate in popular events like artistic gymnastics and swimming. Given recent explosive claims of severe child abuse of elite athletes in Japan, there must be a refocusing on the safety of the youngest and most vulnerable athletes in order to protect them from undue harm. To determine the required safeguards, this article will discuss the history of children in elite athletics, the rise of abuse, and policy responses to the reported abuses. The article will conclude with suggestions that the overhead agencies should adopt to ensure the safety of children in elite athletics.

Language: en