Abuse of power in sports: Are our idols still trustworthy?

Abuse of power in sports: Are our idols still trustworthy?

Vechta, Deutschland - On June 6, 2025, the ninth Vechtaer Trust Lecture was on the program, led by Univ.-Prof. Dr. Martin K.W. Schweer, the head of the Center for Trust Research. The event devoted itself to pressing topics such as abuse of power and violence in professional sports. In her lecture, the investigative journalist Maike Backhaus, who works for renowned media such as Correctiv, the Süddeutsche Zeitung and the Spiegel, particularly highlighted the non -transparent power structures and the immense competitive pressure, under which athletes are under athletes, as well as the associated physical and psychological violence in sport. Backhaus urges an open discussion in sports associations and associations to establish stronger protective measures against abuse of power, because the topic has not lost any explosive in 2025 due to continuing reports of abuse.

The responsibility of the actors in professional sports for uncovering and preventing such grievances was also emphasized. Dr. Schweer emphasized the need to sensitize trainers and managers and to critically question their influence on the club structures. The lecture series aims to promote a dialogue between science and practice by considering trust and distrust in social contexts. Lectures by other experts who deal with trust in various areas such as health system and politics complement this interdisciplinary format.

expertise and research

The urgency of such topics is underpinned by extensive research on the subject of sexualized and interpersonal violence at the Cologne Sport University. Professor Dr. Bettina Rulofs has systematically examined power abuse in sports since 2004 and has found that both mental and physical violence is widespread. The survey "Silence protects the wrong" shows that many affected people often find no hearing and that sport is therefore exposed to dutiful border crossings. Above all, the dependence between athletes and their trainers often leads to abuse of power.

In a pilot study from 1997, organized sport was first confronted with violence against women. These findings are still relevant: 70 % of athletes experienced violence in club sport in a survey of 2020, and a quarter of them reported sexual violence. Despite numerous initiatives for prevention, such as the campaign of the State Sports Association of North Rhine -Westphalia to raise awareness of clubs, there remains the resistance to such topics in many institutions.

Current developments and challenges

Current reports on new cases of sexual violence examine that the problem continues to exist. Former gymnasts from Stuttgart and Mannheim in particular documented psychological violence and harassment by a trainer. Rulofs and other experts express disappointment about the ongoing challenges in the sports landscape. Often, those affected see the media as the only way to draw attention to their situations.

However, the creeping changes also show progress. Support offers such as the "Fund of sexual abuse" enable affected athletes to make applications for financial help, even if processing is often criticized as slow and inadequate. The "Safe Sport e. V.", which has been active since 2023, and a planned center for safe sport aim to systematically process interpersonal violence and help those affected. A new "Safe Sport Code" should punish attacks in the future and is considered for December 2024.

The adoption of such regulations is considered necessary by many to ensure protection against sexual violence in sport. A well -known example of the challenges of the processing is the case of the former swimmer Jan Hempel, who received 600,000 euros in compensation from the German Swimming Association.

Overall, it shows that both the dialogue about abuse of power in sport as well as concrete measures for prevention and processing are necessary in order to sustainably improve the security of the athletes and create an environment in which trust can gain a foothold. The Vechta Trust Lecture and continuous research at the German Sport University Cologne are essential steps in the right direction.

For further information on these topics and the event, visit the links: University of Vechta , German Sport University Cologne href = "https://www.deutschlandfunk.de/sport-sexuals-gewalt-sucht-praeVervention-hilfe-100.html"> Deutschlandfunk .