Ethical Considerations in Sports Management: The Involvement of Children in Competitive Sport

It was inevitable that with all the changes occurring in the modern sport, there has come a change regarding the involvement of children and young people in high-level and competitive sport. This is a very "hot" emerging issue that has drawn attention, and has sensitized people in the area of sport from all over the world, raising their concerns about the negative effects of intensive training on children and young people. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the various issues emerging from the participation of young people in high- level sport as there are mixed feelings about such involvement in highly competitive high- level sport programs. It actually outlines the basic problems in relation to this issue, suggests points and raises issues upon which discussion could focus. Such programs are widely supported on the one hand, and yet widely criticized on the other. Scientists have identified a variety of serious potential dangers that can emerge, that could definitely lead to deviations from the "Ethics in Sport" and the "Fair play" concepts. It is a very big challenge for sport management that has to be exhaustively examined for the benefit of sport and for the generations to come.