Mission 89, the global research and advocacy organisation dedicated to combating child trafficking in sports and athlete protection, has announced the appointment of professional footballer and Nigerian international, Ashleigh Plumptre as a global ambassador. This strategic partnership underscores the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding young athletes and upholding the integrity of football.

Ashleigh Plumptre, renowned for her defensive prowess and dedication to social justice, brings a compelling voice to Mission 89’s initiatives against exploitation in sports. Her extensive experience at the highest levels of professional football, alongside her passionate advocacy for ethical practices, positions her as an exemplary representative for this vital cause.

“Sport Trafficking is a critical issue that demands immediate attention and action from all stakeholders – government, advocates, leaders, professional athletes and policy makers”, stated Lerina Bright, Executive Director of Mission 89. “Ashleigh’s dedication to protecting vulnerable young athletes and her platform as an athlete will be instrumental in amplifying our message and reaching communities at risk.”

The collaboration will focus on several key initiatives, including highlighting the risks of trafficking in sports through targeted campaigns and community outreach; strengthening global alliances to bolster child protection in sports; implementing strategies to safeguard young athletes from exploitation; and informing families, communities and other stakeholders about safe recruitment practices and the dangers of unscrupulous agents.

“As a footballer, I have observed firsthand how aspirations can serve as both a source of hope and a potential vulnerability for young athletes,” remarked Ashleigh. “My experiences in professional sports have taught me that talent alone is insufficient; protection, education, and ethical pathways are vital components. Mission 89 represents more than just an organization to me; it signifies a platform for transforming the narrative surrounding youth in football. We are not merely preventing trafficking; we are reclaiming the true spirit of the game—a spirit characterized by opportunity, dignity, and hope.”

“Football has the potential to transform lives; however, it is imperative that we ensure this transformation is both positive and secure. Joining Mission 89 enables me to contribute to the safeguarding of the dreams of young players who view football as their pathway to a better future,” she added.

This partnership emerges at a pivotal moment as the sports industry confronts escalating challenges in shielding young talent from exploitation. This comes as experts in Mission 89’s recently released Global Thematic Report on Sport Trafficking have also called for stricter legislation and collaborations between government and institutions globally to strengthen protective measures and protection against trafficking in the industry.

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Mission 89, in partnership with Loughborough University and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK branch (CPA UK), has released the first-ever comprehensive Global Thematic Report on Sport Trafficking, presenting a rigorous academic and policy-oriented analysis of human trafficking within the global sports ecosystem.

The report integrates a comprehensive literature review, interdisciplinary expert consultations, forensic analysis of documented trafficking incidents, comparative international policy assessment, including contributions from global experts. While highlighting the economic benefits of the sports industry, which is estimated to be between $471 billion and $1.4 trillion annually, the report sheds light on how this lucrative industry has become a magnet for traffickers exploiting vulnerable individuals, particularly young athletes from the Global South.

According to industry stakeholders, the absence of a specific definition for ‘sport trafficking’ has presented significant challenges in distinguishing the phenomenon from migrant smuggling, irregular migration, and other forms of human trafficking, thereby preventing targeted Interventions. In addition, the US Department of State has identified significant regulatory gaps within sport governing bodies. Even established regulations, such as FIFA’s prohibition on international transfers of minors, have revealed numerous loopholes and enforcement challenges.

The report introduces a scholarly and precise definition of sport trafficking, referred to as a systematic process of recruiting and exploiting individuals within the sporting domain, characterised by coercive mechanisms that compromise individual autonomy and fundamental human rights. It not only involves the direct exploitation of athletes but also extends to the myriad ways through which the industry can serve as a conduit for labour and sexual exploitation, especially during mega sporting events which attract increased demand for informal labour and entertainment services (that may involve trafficking for sexual exploitation).

For Dr Serhat Yilmaz, the Lead Researcher of the report and Senior Lecturer in Sports Law at Loughborough University, it is quite straightforward. “Without a precise, sport-specific definition of trafficking, we are dealing with inadequate legal protections, ineffective policy development, challenges in identifying and supporting victims, limited prevention strategies, and blurred legal distinctions that allow perpetrators to escape accountability. Therefore, our objective is to bring sport trafficking out of the shadows and into focused, actionable legal and social frameworks”, he explained.

The report also presents a typology of sport trafficking supported by case studies that are identified and developed through the research. This typology of sport trafficking, as another novel aspect of the document, provides an overview of the different types of trafficking evident in, through, and around sports. In each case, the existence of the type of trafficking is determined by the presence of the necessary constituent elements of the trafficking crime as per the definition of the UN Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Protocol.

“Aligned with United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 8.7 and 16.2, the research provides a foundational scholarly contribution to understanding and mitigating trafficking vulnerabilities”, said Lerina Bright, Executive Director, Mission 89. “With a clear and specialised definition, we can provide clearer legal frameworks, guide more effective policymaking, improve victim support mechanisms, enable more targeted educational efforts and help the judiciary better recognize and address these specific trafficking cases.”

The report recommends that legislators and parliamentarians develop and implement domestic anti-trafficking laws that align with the TIP Protocol and relevant regional instruments. It advocates for a ‘non-punishment’ provision to protect trafficking victims, particularly migrant athletes, from criminal prosecution for actions stemming from their trafficking experiences. Experts also advocated for the introduction of a new recognised form of exploitation encompassing severe forms of economic exploitation in order to provide stronger protection for vulnerable athletes.

Policymakers should also adjust immigration frameworks for athletes to reduce trafficker exploitation opportunities and ensure recruitment follows international best practices for labour rights. In addition, building capacity through targeted training for identifying sport trafficking and improving data collection will be essential for raising awareness and addressing this critical issue.

The report identifies a range of different areas for improvement in efforts to combat sport trafficking and more effectively protect vulnerable athletes and aspiring athletes. They are consolidated as a set of recommendations for policymakers, law enforcement, prosecutors, the judiciary, service providers, and sport organisations. In this respect, the insight of this report, typologies, and interpretive guide provide support and guidance for these actors in pursuing the recommendations and supporting anti-trafficking efforts.

Accessibility and Engagement

• Full Report: Available for download on Mission 89’s website
• Academic Inquiries: globalreport-ST@mission89.org

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Sport organisations can play a key role in affecting meaningful change on this problem, leading awareness and advocacy and making a statement of no tolerance for human trafficking in and through sport. The seriousness of this issue is evident through the sport regulations that have been implemented in the last two decades, which aim to prevent this kind of abuse and exploitation. For example, the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance of the Olympic and Sports Movement, prohibits exploitation of young athletes and explicitly states that for protecting athletes:

• Measures should be taken to prohibit exploitation of young athletes
• Athletes should be protected from unscrupulous recruiters and agents
• Cooperation with the government of the countries concerned should be developed
• Codes of conduct should be signed by all sport organisations

Sport organisations have become accustomed to the phrase ‘creating a culture of safety’ so often that sometimes the phrase can lack meaning or mean nothing more than a box-ticking exercise that ensures the required policies are in place. Creating a culture of safety means embedding safeguarding into everything an organisation does. In view of this, Mission 89 provides sport organisations with 5 recommendations comprising crucial actions and steps to take the collective fight against human trafficking in sport to the next level in 2021.

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