Can You Recognise Grooming in Sport?
Why this is too important not to share
Some information stops you in your tracks.
Not because it’s dramatic — but because once you see it, you can’t unsee it.
This week, #WeRideTogether shared a series outlining the Six Stages of Grooming in sport. We’re sharing it here, with full credit to them, because it matters. And because recognising grooming is one of the most powerful forms of prevention we have.
Grooming doesn’t begin with abuse.
It begins with trust, access, and silence.
And in sport - particularly in environments where authority, ambition, and physical contact already exist, it can be dangerously easy to miss.
So let’s talk about it.
Grooming Is a Process, Not a Moment
One of the most important takeaways from #WeRideTogether’s work is this: grooming is deliberate and gradual. It unfolds in stages, often over months or years, and is designed to look normal from the outside.
The six stages they outline are:
- Targeting the athlete
- Gaining trust
- Fulfilling needs
- Isolating the athlete
- Sexualising the relationship
- Maintaining control
None of these stages rely on force. They rely on access, power, and manipulation.
That’s what makes them so effective... and so hard to spot.
The Questions We All Need to Be Asking
Awareness starts with uncomfortable questions. Not accusatory ones, but honest ones.
Would you notice if an athlete was being slowly isolated from their peers?
Would you question why one coach always needed “privacy” or one-on-one time?
Would you feel confident stepping in if something felt off, but you couldn’t quite explain why?
Do we assume grooming only happens in secret, or are we willing to acknowledge that it can happen in broad daylight - in arenas, yards, changing rooms, and cars on the way home?
How often do we dismiss gut feelings because someone is successful, respected, or “would never do that”?
And perhaps most importantly:
Do young athletes feel safe enough to speak up before something escalates?
Power, Ambition, and Silence
Sport creates unique vulnerabilities. Coaches, trainers, and authority figures often control access to opportunities - competitions, horses, teams, funding, progression.
When someone uses that power to create obligation, dependency, or secrecy, it doesn’t always look like abuse at first. It can look like favouritism. Mentorship. Extra support.
That’s why education matters.
Because grooming thrives where silence is normalised and questions aren’t encouraged.
Protection, Not Paranoia
Talking about grooming isn’t about suspicion or fear.
It’s about clarity.
Clear boundaries.
Clear expectations.
Clear systems that protect athletes, especially young ones.
It’s about making sure that no one feels they have to tolerate discomfort in exchange for opportunity.
Why We’re Sharing This
We didn’t create these slides. #WeRideTogether did - and they deserve full credit for this work.
We’re sharing them because they’re too important to stay on one platform.
If this article prompts one conversation, one check-in, or one moment of reflection — it’s worth it.
Because recognising grooming early can stop harm before it begins.
And because awareness is not optional when it comes to safeguarding.
Stay aware.
Stay connected.
And never underestimate the power of asking the right questions.
The Out of Bounds series consists of four short-form PSAs, each of which explores facets of the victim experience, inside and outside the world of sports, and provides insight, language, and metaphor into “what it’s like” to be a victim of sexual abuse or misconduct.
