What is Physical Abuse?

Physical Abuse may involve the actual or attempted physical injury to an athlete including hitting, shaking, throwing, poisoning, burning, scalding, drowning, suffocating or otherwise harming them. Physical abuse may also be a deliberate act, omission or failure to protect.

Physical Abuse in Sport

This may include bodily harm caused by lack of care, attention or knowledge that may be caused by:

·         Over training or dangerous training of athletes.

·         Over playing an athlete.

·         Failure to do a risk assessment of physical limits or pre-existing medical conditions.

·         Administering, condoning or failure to intervene in drug use.

Signs of possible physical abuse:
Important indicator of physical abuse is where bruises or injuries are unexplained or the explanation does not fit the injury or the injury appears on parts of the body where accidental injuries are unlikely e.g. on the cheeks or thighs. Signs of possible physical abuse include:

·         Unexplained injuries or burns, particularly if they are recurrent, improbable excuses given to explain injuries.

·         Refusal to discuss injuries.

·         Fear of parents being approached for an explanation.

·         Untreated injuries or delays in reporting them.

·         Excessive physical punishment to themselves.

·         Arms and legs kept covered in hot weather.

·         Avoidance of swimming, physical education etc.

·         Fear of returning home.

·         Aggression towards others.

·         Running away.

When considering the possibility of non-accidental injury it is important to remember that injuries may have occurred for other reasons e.g. skin disorders, rare bone diseases.

NSPCC guidelines on physical abuse: NSPCC