The necessity of supervising the health of children engaged in sports activities – ethical aspects

Abstract

Children, especially those participating in sports competition, sometimes become objects and/or tools for adults, with excuse that it is necessary for accomplishment of some 'higher' goals (victory, record, acknowledgement, reputation, trophy, medal...). Very often, with this activities, children's health is endangered and/or violated. It happens often when the children are in the period of intensive growth and development, their health is more vulnerable and is a subject to disease, but in sports competitions, insuffi cient attention is brought to this fact. Because of that, we recommend medical follow-ups for all children involved in sport (physical and mental development, personal development, their personalities and individual character-istics on the one hand and sport characteristics on the other) as an imperative. Health must be basic, irreplaceable, permanent and unbreakable connection within every athlete, from his/her fi rst sports step to the (possible) Olympic medal.