In the name of performance: Threats, belittlement, and degradation

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Elite athletes are often pushed to their limits, both physically and mentally, in the name of athletic excellence (Tofler and DiGeronimo, 2000; Tofler et al., 1996). When this occurs, and the sole focus for an athlete’s participation in sport is performance attainment, the health of the athlete in this environment can be jeopardized. In this chapter, the sport-health relationship is critiqued through the lens of athlete maltreatment. In particular, research to date on athletes’ experiences of emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship is reviewed and discussed in relation to the consequences for athletes’ emotional health. Throughout the chapter, the experience of emotional abuse in the coach-athlete relationship is problematized, but questions are raised about whether positive outcomes such as performance and personal growth may be derived from these experiences. From the onset we would like to highlight that while this chapter provides a critique of the potential positive and negative health consequences of athletes’ experiences of emotional ill-treatment, it is our perspective that under no circumstance should emotionally harmful coaching practices be condoned in sport.