The role of gymnastics coaches in advancing safe sports: A phenomenological study

. Coaches' expertise in the field of sport and their decision-making position over athletes make them powerful in hierarchical relations. While these hierarchical relations are among the risk factors that cause harassment and abuse, they also make coaches responsible for preventing harassment and abuse in the sport environment due to their position. The aim of the research shaped in this context is to examine the safe sport experiences of former athlete gymnastics coaches and to reveal the meanings and roles shaped around their experiences. The research was designed with the Phenomenological Approach and the data were obtained by conducting individual interviews with fifteen participants (eight women and seven men, age: 22-43) from four branches of gymnastics (Rhythmic, Aerobic, Artistic, Trampoline). Within the scope of the research, Heidegger's Interpretive Phenomenological Approach and Bourdieu's concept of Symbolic Violence were used. The findings show that the former athlete coaches constructed their meanings of safe sport by being influenced by their own experiences as athletes in order to provide equal attention and support to athletes, prioritize the well-being of athletes, strengthen communication between athletes, and ensure the safety of the sport environment. At the same time, establishing strong communication with athletes' parents and cooperating with them are among the meanings of safe sport. The most fundamental role of former athlete coaches in the construction of safe sport is not to perpetuate different types of abuse behaviors that are specific to the field of gymnastics. Keywords: Safe Sport, Former Athlete Coaches, Safeguarding, Gymnastics, Symbolic Violence