Restoring the Mind and the Game: A Transitional Justice-Informed Sport Psychology Framework for Youth Exploitation in Sub-Saharan African Sport

Abstract

In Sub-Saharan Africa, sport is often touted as a tool to develop young people, to improve their mental health, to build social mobility and to empower communities. But these potential futures are undermined in the absence of good governance, when young athletes are vulnerable to exploitation, unsafe recruitment, too early professionalisation, abuse, structural exclusion, and poor safeguarding. The aim of this desk-based conceptual research is to explore the potential of transitional justice principles to contribute to psychological recovery and institutional reform in selected sport contexts in Sub-Saharan Africa. The paper builds upon interdisciplinary literature from sport psychology, human rights, youth development, sport governance and transitional justice to create a transitional justice informed sport psychology framework. Four inter-related issues are targeted for analysis: governance failure, psychological harm, restorative justice mechanisms and pathways to institutional and psychological restoration. Youth exploitation in sport is not considered merely an ethical or discipline issue, but also a structural injustice that has psychological implications, the study argues. The conceptual synthesis suggests that reparative strategies including acknowledgements, institutional changes, mental health services, trauma-informed coaching, youth voice and non-repetition can enhance accountability and re-establish trust in sport systems. While the use of secondary sources and the lack of literature in certain regions limits this conceptual exploration, it serves as a basis for future empirical studies and policy-making efforts focused on athlete dignity, safeguarding and justice.