Abstract
Canadian football and rugby are distinct sports with different playing rules and objectives. However, both sports involve considerable bodily contact and force between opponents, and can lead to catastrophic, life-altering injuries. Drawing on semi-structured qualitative interviews with male athletes who have competed at elite levels of Canadian football and rugby, this paper examines athletes’ perceptions of physical contact, consent, violence, and injury risk across the two high contact sports. Through this comparative analysis, parallels and differences in athlete perceptions of the two sports are highlighted. Strategies to reduce non-consensual violence and catastrophic injuries, and enhance athlete safety, are also explored.
Presenters
Cullum BrownbridgeStudent, PhD, Brock University, Ontario, Canada Curtis Fogel
Associate Professor, Brock University, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Rugby, Football, Injury, Risk, Perception
