Every year, thousands of children choose to join a sports club or to participate in recreational activities such as day camps and summer camps. Participation in these activities promotes healthy child development. However, one should also be aware that children may face risks and dangers in sports and recreational activities.

Premises which are inappropriate or inadequate for children may increase the risk for accidents and in- juries. Personnel untrained to work with children of different ages may cause unintentional psychological harm through inappropriate forms of communication, such as provision of verbal instructions in an age-in- sensitive manner or usage of diminishing language to prompt better performance in sports. Worldwide, cases of child sexual abuse have also been reported in sports and recreational activities provoking long-term adverse effects in child socioemotional and cognitive development. Organizations without defined proce- dures on how to prevent and/or respond timely and effectively to possible risks or alleged cases of child abuse may provoke further harm to affected children.