Sport as Youth Violence Prevention

This article addresses the potential sporting and leisure activities have for the prevention of youth violence in urban settings. A side effect of the accelerated global urbanization process is the increase of young people living in cities, especially in marginalized and poor areas. They are often excluded socially and economically and are deprived of facilities that allow them a positive use of their leisure time. Planned initiatives involving sport, leisure, and cultural activities can empower those excluded youth, equip them with relevant social skills and offer an alternative to violent or criminal behaviour. The article is by no means meant to be exhaustive but its aim is to give a short overview illustrated by examples of intervention measures in Brazil, Sudan and the USA. 1. Introduction The subject of “sport and violence” encompasses a wide range of concerns and issues. These range from violent incidents during sporting activities, such as fights among fans of different football teams, to the use of sport as tool for violence prevention, especially among urban youths. It must be, therefore, differentiated between “violence prevention in sporting activities” and “violence prevention through sporting activities”. However, only a few aspects of these concerns and issues can be addressed within this article, which clearly focuses on the positive aspects of sport and physical activities in organized and spontaneous expressions.¹ The words of Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, illustrate clearly this positive aspect of physical activities: ¨Sport can play a role in Esporte e Sociedade ano 3, n.9, Jul.2008/Out.2008 Sports as youth violence prevention Gärtner improving the lives of individuals, not only individuals, I might add, but whole communities. I am convinced that the time is right to build on that understanding, to encourage governments, development agencies and communities to think how sport can be included more systematically in the plans to help children, particularly those living in the midst of poverty, disease and conflict.¨ (www.un.org/themes/sport/index.htm )