Ethical Considerations In Using Sport for Change

Think about the issue you want to address. What are the ethical considerations? Are there other actors already addressing this issue? If so, what can you learn from them?

Sport is a useful tool but not an end in itself. It can also be the case that sport can act as an incentive to initiate the primary goal, as it may be difficult or taboo to approach the main topic directly, such as socialising between different groups to reduce interethnic conflict (PlayOnSide).

However, it’s not quite that simple. Sport isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution to all development challenges and goals. Reflecting back on your situation analysis, it may be that sport isn’t a suitable or straightforward option.

Take the issue of ‘period poverty’ – however well-meaning your initiative to engage women and girls in a specific community may be, a lack of adequate sanitary access will have an impact on them feeling comfortable with engaging in sport. If your initiative includes sanitary support or education, this might encourage more participation but may not be the primary goal of the programme.

Safety of participants should always be paramount. A well-meaning initiative, especially one that upholds values that differ to those of the identified community, may have unintended consequences. Sport used to empower participants to communicate an abusive or dangerous situation they may face, such as domestic abuse or forced marriages, may leave the individual ostracised or more vulnerable if ramifications are not properly considered or there is not appropriate support in place.

Remember the mantra of ‘do no harm’ we covered earlier.

Initially, I hesitated to play with girls, thinking of how people would react since I was told that girls and boys should play separately. Later, I realised the importance of interaction between genders. Now, I encourage the girls in my community to participate in sports actively. Mohit Chhabra, a youth leader from Martha Farrell Foundation

Ethical dimensions are crucial. Sport may be your tool, but is it right for the job?

Reflect

What are your experiences of ethical considerations in using sport for change? What did you need to consider? Were there any changes you had to make to an initiative and why?

Remember, this is a public forum, so talk generally if sharing specific details is not appropriate.