Author(s): SZEKERES, D.1, BARCSI, T., WHYTE, I., SOOS, I.1, Institution: HUNGARIAN UNIVERSITY OF SPORTS SCIENCE, Country: HUNGARY, Abstract-ID: 1832

Introduction

Sport is a specific social activity based on the principles of respect for others and appropriate participation in collective activities. Sports activities, policy, and governance must comply with the idea of fair play, founded on moral principles such as the fight against violence, sexual abuse, the prohibition of corruption, and non-discrimination. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Olympic Charter, the European Charter for Sport and the Code of Ethics for Sport include specific ethical requirements in addition to the most basic moral standards.
In Hungary, these are reflected in ethics of the national sports federations and codes of conduct for working with children, with Hungarian sports being legally obligated to enforce codes of conduct under the Sports Act. Compliance with legislative objectives in the management of sport organisations, including good governance, is explicitly emphasised.

Material and methods

The aim was to investigate relationships between sports law and childrens law, and within sports law, issues of state and self-regulation. This was undertaken through an exploration and analysis of Hungarian and EU secondary literature, alongside an analytical presentation of the internal rules of sport organisations with respect to human dignity and fair play. European aspects of good governance in sport, with reference to the single sport policy approach and the fight against corruption, were also considered. Finally, some focus was placed on the Hungarian Swimming Federation (MÚSZ) statutes and Code of Ethics and Child Protection.

Results

Self-regulation is characteristic of sport, but legal regulation also provides enforceability by virtue of its binding nature. Factors such as excessive success-centricity, a culture of condoning and covering up abuses in sport, have been identified as being weakening factors for a proper ethical attitude.

Conclusions

Possible solutions include setting appropriate limits, providing a complaints and whistle-blowing system in sports organisations, raising awareness of the issue, taking appropriate action against doping and promoting sports role models who live up to the ideal of fair play. To this end, it is essential to ensure that ethical and legal knowledge in this area is included in education, particularly in the training of physical education teachers, coaches and sports professionals, and in their professional development and further training. A good example of a signposting system for professional associations after the Túri Case could be the child protection officer set up by the MÚSZ and the institutionalised telephone and e-mail contact. Ethical behaviour, but also professional ethics, the example set by coaches and sports professionals, and social models and expectations can play a huge role in preventing abuse, abuse, offensive behaviour and non-conformist fair-play situations.