PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - S K Fields
AU  - C L Collins
AU  - R D Comstock
TI  - Violence in youth sports: hazing, brawling and foul play
AID  - 10.1136/bjsm.2009.068320
DP  - 2010 Jan 01
TA  - British Journal of Sports Medicine
PG  - 32--37
VI  - 44
IP  - 1
4099  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/1/32.short
4100  - http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/44/1/32.full
SO  - Br J Sports Med2010 Jan 01; 44
AB  - By separating hazing, brawling, and foul play and failing to recognise that their connection to sport binds them together into a cohesive subset of sport injury and youth violence, past research has failed to show how sports-related violence is a broad example of interpersonal violence. The acceptance of violence within the sporting culture may, in part, explain why sports-related violence has not yet been widely recognised as a public health concern. This review shows that sports-related violence, including hazing, brawling and foul play, occurs among youth athletes of all ages and in a variety of different sports. The few studies to address this issue have all acknowledged the dangers of sports-related violence; however, no incident tracking method has been developed. Future research must provide accurate national estimates of the incidence of sports-related violence among youth, identify associated risk factors, evaluate preventive interventions and identify effective methods of distributing and implementing evidence-based interventions. Monitoring the magnitude and distribution of the burden of sports-related violence and building the scientific infrastructure necessary to support the development and widespread application of effective sports-related prevention interventions are essential first steps toward a reduction in the incidence of sports-related violence.