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In the study, researchers from a range of disciplines reviewed 99 scientific articles to map the current state of knowledge on social sustainability in youth elite sport.

– We found that there is a great deal of research, but it is fragmented across fields such as medicine, coaching, psychology, education and social science, says Astrid Schubring, associate professor of sport science at the University 91̽»¨.

– Perhaps most surprising was how often the term social sustainability is used without being defined. Only two of the 99 articles offered a concrete definition of what the term actually means.

The research team therefore propose in the review an own definition: in the context of elite sport, social sustainability is about promoting the health and wellbeing of young athletes, supporting their holistic development, and creating inclusive and equitable environments.

Overrepresentation of boys and football

Another clear pattern in the literature is that a large share of the research focuses on boys and the sport of football.

– This reflects both the high level of commercialisation in football and the greater resources and well-established academy systems in place. There are also historical reasons, as sport has long been a male-dominated arena, says Astrid Schubring.

Girls' experiences and conditions in youth elite sport are less well studied, as are sports other than football. The study also identifies a need for more research on organisational and system-level factors, such as funding, leadership and sporting culture.

Three key areas for sustainable development

Although the systematic scoping review study is primarily aimed at the academic community, it highlights three central areas that are important for coaches, sports leaders and decision-makers:

1. Health and wellbeing – young athletes need sustainable training environments that prioritise both physical and mental health.
2. Coaching support and education – coaches need knowledge and tools to support young people in different phases of development.
3. A system-wide perspective – sustainability must be embedded throughout the sports system, from grassroots level to national policy.

– It is not enough to have nice policy documents. We also need to reflect on what we value, how we educate coaches and what we actually choose to fund, says Astrid Schubring.

Towards more practice-oriented knowledge

The review took two years to complete and brought together researchers from several disciplines. The study is published in the highly ranked journal Sustainable Development, which has an acceptance rate of just seven percent.

– We’re very pleased to have had the article accepted there. We are now working on a follow-up study that will look more closely at what actually supports or hinders sustainable development in youth elite sport, says Astrid Schubring.

Read the full article: S (Wiley Online Library)