Parents are responsible for nearly half of all verbal abuse directed at grassroots sport coaches in Australia, according to the first annual results from the Sport Integrity Australia Positive Behaviours in Sport Study. The survey of 325 coaches found that more than one in six had directly experienced verbal abuse in the past 12 months, with two in five witnessing it.
Beyond verbal abuse, over one in ten coaches reported experiencing bullying, while similar numbers cited racism, discrimination, physical abuse or inappropriate sexual behaviour. Alexis Cooper, acting head of sport engagement at SIA, expressed surprise at the findings, particularly given that most coaches are volunteers.
Cooper warned of the flow-on effects for children, including higher dropout rates, increased anxiety and poor sportsmanship. A 2024 University of South Australia study found that parental criticism or abuse at matches was linked to greater antisocial behaviour in children.
Despite the negative findings, around nine in ten of the 1,204 coaches and athletes surveyed believed their sport was safe and fair. However, the study noted that poor behaviour often went unreported, with athletes citing fears of not being taken seriously or of persecution.
Cooper called for a cultural shift in sport and stressed the importance of education for parents, such as focusing on fun rather than winning. SIA is working with integrity managers on long-term solutions to address these challenges.
