New study highlights racism, discrimination Canadians face while playing organized sports

Have you faced racism or discrimination while playing organized sports? We want to hear from you. (Pexels)

A new study from Statistics Canada has shed light on individuals experiencing unfair treatment, racism or discrimination in community sports in Canada.

The study, focusing on both players and those in non-athletic roles, including coaches, referees, volunteers and fans, revealed that six per cent of individuals involved in sports experienced some form of discrimination, racism or homophobia in the last five years.

Within those numbers, 21 per cent of those who identify as a member of the LGBTQ2S+ community said they faced forms of discrimination, while 12 per cent of the racialized community said they faced some type of racism.

The study highlights a worrying trend in the amount of athletes who fear for their physical safety. At 22 per cent, one-in-five respondents said they felt threatened or harassed, and 14 per cent, or one-in-seven, reported having been physically attacked or assaulted.

Within that group, 22 per cent said they “lacked confidence” in preventing incidents of racism and discrimination in sports, while nearly 30 per cent couldn’t attempt to even address the incidents to begin with.

Are you a Canadian who has experience racism or discrimination in community sports? Did you face similar unfair treatment while you played youth sports? CTVNews.ca wants to hear from you.

Share your story by emailing us at [e-mail] with your name, general location and phone number in case we want to follow up. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.