Sport can make children happy and support them in their development. For this to succeed, we need to create structures in which they are protected and feel comfortable.
Sports fields, gyms and cabins are supposed to be safe spaces for children – but they are not! We want to use the Olympic and Paralympic Games to raise awareness and support the Kindernothilfe in its prevention-work with sports clubs.
When we – Max (sabre fencing), Verena (para swimming) and Michaela (rowing) – compete for medals at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo (July 23rd to September 5th 2021), we will be on the sunny side of sports. We have qualified to represent our country at the world's biggest sporting event.
But sport also has its dark sides. A part that is talked about far too little is violence against children in sport clubs. Every young competitive athlete has experienced some form of sexual violence within the organised sports system, and one in nine has even experienced severe or prolonged sexual violence. Reliable findings on figures in popular sports are expected at the end of 2021/beginning of 2022. However, previous estimates assume that more than 200,000 children and young people have become victims of abuse in the sports system. We want to use the Tokyo Games to raise awareness of children's rights and child protection in sport and to get involved in Kindernothilfe e.V.'s work in this area.
