Safeguarding in sport: Toward a performative compliance of international sports federations?

Drawing on Bourdieu's theory, this study examines the development of safeguarding measures by international sports federations, conceptualised as a case of ‘performative compliance’. Using a multi-step qualitative abductive approach, through a document analysis, it analyses how these organisations address safeguarding. The findings reveal a proliferation of measures introduced in response to external pressures and rising stakeholder expectations. However, federations often tend to privilege initiatives with high symbolic value over comprehensive strategies with lasting impact. This emphasis on appearances suggests that the pressure to demonstrate compliance implicitly drives the adoption of measures that, while contributing to safeguarding, carry a strong symbolic dimension. Building on these insights, the study theorises safeguarding as a process that entails both practical implementation and symbolic positioning within the field and proposes a model to help federations develop more effective safeguarding strategies.