Survey analysis on understanding the realities and needs of safeguarding

We are excited to announce the release of the second major deliverable of our project: the ESSEPA Survey Analysis Report. Following the publication of our baseline desk research on national policies, this new report provides a practical and empirical look into the actual awareness, lived experiences, and safeguarding needs of the university sport community across Europe.

Developed within the European Sport Safeguarding Education and Promotion Action (ESSEPA) project and co-funded by the European Union, the report presents findings from a comprehensive multi-stakeholder survey conducted between April 10 and June 10, 2026. The survey gathered 240 valid responses across 19 countries, engaging students (62%), higher education employees (14%), coaches, referees, officials, and volunteers.

Key Findings

One of the most striking findings of the report is the divergence between how safe participants feel in general and what they actually experience.
- Overall Safety: A strong majority of respondents (80%) reported feeling "very safe" (60%) or "somewhat safe" (20%) when participating in university sports events.
- Prevalence of Harm: Despite this high perception of safety, 59% of respondents reported experiencing at least one form of inappropriate or harmful behaviour in their sports environment.
- Forms of Misconduct: The most common negative experiences reported were psychological violence (14%) and pressure to train or compete despite injury (8%). Other occurrences included neglect (7%), physical violence (7%), discrimination (6%), and bullying (6%).
When harmful behaviours occurred, coaches were the most frequently reported actors, followed by teammates and opponents.

The report highlights significant communication and structural barriers that prevent the university sport community from addressing safeguarding concerns effectively:
- Information Gap: Half of the respondents (50%) were unsure if their institution even has an active safeguarding policy or code of conduct.
- Unclear Reporting Channels: Only 48% of participants definitively know who to contact to report a safeguarding incident. Additionally, 18% stated they would not know what steps to take if they witnessed or experienced misconduct.
- Barriers to Speaking Up: When asked what prevents athletes from reporting concerns, the leading factors identified were fear of negative consequences (24%), the belief that nothing will change (21%), and a lack of trust in the system (16%).

Next Steps

The survey clearly shows that university sport stakeholders are eager to build safer sporting environments. An overwhelming 79% of respondents expressed interest in completing safeguarding training. Stakeholders demonstrated a strong preference for interactive formats, with 40% favoring a hybrid model (combining digital and in-person learning) and 31% preferring entirely in-person sessions. Only 10% preferred fully digital training. Respondents prioritized practical, applied topics, emphasizing the need to learn how to recognize different forms of violence and abuse, protect athletes' mental health and well-being, and maintain safe coach-athlete relationships and professional boundaries. Lack of awareness among athletes, coaches, and staff was identified as the single largest obstacle to effective safeguarding, followed closely by lack of education and training on how to recognize and respond to concerns.

The empirical findings from this survey, alongside our earlier policy mapping, establish a robust evidence base for the next phases of the ESSEPA project. These insights will directly guide the design of our upcoming innovative digital safeguarding education and certification platform. By tailoring our educational curriculum to the exact needs highlighted by our stakeholders, focusing on hybrid learning, abuse recognition, and clear reporting paths, we aim to bridge the gap between policy and daily reality.

We would like to thank all the student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and volunteers who took the time to contribute to this research. Your voices are instrumental in shaping the future of safe sport in Europe.

The complete ESSEPA Survey Analysis Report is available for download in our Resources section. For more details on the project and partners, visit our About ESSEPA page.

ESSEPA is co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.