Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports
Listening to the voices of athletes is important for advancing safe sports and preventing harassment and abuse in sports. This study aims to listen to the voices of athletes of the United States of America (USA) Women's Artistic Gymnastics Team (WAG) against the sexual abuse and organizational...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Pamukkale University
2024-12-01
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| Series: | Pamukkale Spor Bilimleri Dergisi |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4134137 |
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| _version_ | 1841553092385964032 |
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| author | Canan Koca Arıtan Pinar Ozturk Mine Kızılgüneş |
| author_facet | Canan Koca Arıtan Pinar Ozturk Mine Kızılgüneş |
| author_sort | Canan Koca Arıtan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Listening to the voices of athletes is important for advancing safe sports and preventing harassment and abuse in sports. This study aims to listen to the voices of athletes of the United States of America (USA) Women's Artistic Gymnastics Team (WAG) against the sexual abuse and organizational neglect they have been exposed to for more than 30 years in order to understand the reasons that lead to abuse. In this context, “Athlete A: The truth behind USA Gymnastics", a Netflix documentary, was analyzed. Analysis was carried out by conducting Baltruschat's “Film Interpretation According to the Documentary Method” process in the Nvivo analysis program. Foucault's concept of biopolitics was utilized to understand the mechanism of power in gymnastics and how this mechanism intervenes in the female athlete's body (on the visible side). The process of proving these behaviors after the athletes broke their silence against organizational negligence and sexual abuse is discussed in the findings section. The case was examined in depth with quotes from the athletes' discourses on the confirmation of the crimes and the healing processes of the athletes after the revealed practices of organizational neglect and sexual abuse. In conclusion, the case of the USA WAG team demonstrates how a culture of silence and failed leadership can lead to complicity and perpetuate harassment and abuse in sports. In order to advance the safe sports, sports organizations need to develop safeguarding policies and procedures that take into account the voices of athletes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-07b8d408277e4c9188f7f900272a5d88 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1309-0356 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Pamukkale University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pamukkale Spor Bilimleri Dergisi |
| spelling | doaj-art-07b8d408277e4c9188f7f900272a5d882025-01-09T12:18:37ZengPamukkale UniversityPamukkale Spor Bilimleri Dergisi1309-03562024-12-0115357860710.54141/psbd.1530812218Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in SportsCanan Koca Arıtan0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7484-0545Pinar Ozturk1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0528-7058Mine Kızılgüneş2https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6943-0429HACETTEPE UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SPORTS SCIENCESHACETTEPE UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SPORTS SCIENCESHACETTEPE UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF SPORTS SCIENCESListening to the voices of athletes is important for advancing safe sports and preventing harassment and abuse in sports. This study aims to listen to the voices of athletes of the United States of America (USA) Women's Artistic Gymnastics Team (WAG) against the sexual abuse and organizational neglect they have been exposed to for more than 30 years in order to understand the reasons that lead to abuse. In this context, “Athlete A: The truth behind USA Gymnastics", a Netflix documentary, was analyzed. Analysis was carried out by conducting Baltruschat's “Film Interpretation According to the Documentary Method” process in the Nvivo analysis program. Foucault's concept of biopolitics was utilized to understand the mechanism of power in gymnastics and how this mechanism intervenes in the female athlete's body (on the visible side). The process of proving these behaviors after the athletes broke their silence against organizational negligence and sexual abuse is discussed in the findings section. The case was examined in depth with quotes from the athletes' discourses on the confirmation of the crimes and the healing processes of the athletes after the revealed practices of organizational neglect and sexual abuse. In conclusion, the case of the USA WAG team demonstrates how a culture of silence and failed leadership can lead to complicity and perpetuate harassment and abuse in sports. In order to advance the safe sports, sports organizations need to develop safeguarding policies and procedures that take into account the voices of athletes.https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4134137gymnasticsorganizational neglectsafe sportsafeguarding in sport |
| spellingShingle | Canan Koca Arıtan Pinar Ozturk Mine Kızılgüneş Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports Pamukkale Spor Bilimleri Dergisi gymnastics organizational neglect safe sport safeguarding in sport |
| title | Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports |
| title_full | Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports |
| title_fullStr | Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports |
| title_full_unstemmed | Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports |
| title_short | Athlete A Documentary Analysis: Breaking the Silence on Harassment and Abuse in Sports |
| title_sort | athlete a documentary analysis breaking the silence on harassment and abuse in sports |
| topic | gymnastics organizational neglect safe sport safeguarding in sport |
| url | https://dergipark.org.tr/en/download/article-file/4134137 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT canankocaarıtan athleteadocumentaryanalysisbreakingthesilenceonharassmentandabuseinsports AT pinarozturk athleteadocumentaryanalysisbreakingthesilenceonharassmentandabuseinsports AT minekızılgunes athleteadocumentaryanalysisbreakingthesilenceonharassmentandabuseinsports |