Bullying can be defined as:
• Physical: hitting, kicking and theft
• Verbal: name-calling, constant teasing, sarcasm, racist or homophobic taunts, threats and gestures
• Emotional: tormenting, mobile text messaging, ridiculing, humiliating and ignoring.

Bullying can take place anywhere but is more likely to take place where there is inadequate supervision, e.g. in the changing rooms or on the way to and from the football pitch - but it can also take place at a training session or competition.

Football’s competitive nature can create and even support an environment for the bully, if individuals and clubs are unaware.

The bully in football can be:
• A parent who pushes too hard
• A coach or manager who has a win-at-all-costs philosophy
• A child or young person intimidating another
• An official who places unfair pressure on a child or young person.

The damage inflicted by bullying can often be underestimated. It can cause
considerable distress to children and young people, in some cases affecting their health and development. In extreme circumstances it can lead to self-harm.

Taking a proactive approach
• Ensure the FA’s definition of bullying and its anti-bullying policy is promoted
• Ensure clubs have codes of conduct of which an anti-bullying policy is a part
• Ensure that you take all signs of bullying seriously
• Develop an open environment that encourages children and young people to share their concerns.

Remember that it is not the responsibility of an individual to decide that bullying is or is not taking place in football, but it is their responsibility to act on any concerns.

What is bullying?
Bullying is the use of aggression with the intention of hurting another person. Bullying results in pain and distress to the victim.

Bullying can be:
• Emotional - being unfriendly, excluding (emotionally and physically) sending
hurtful text messages, tormenting,
(e.g. hiding football boots/shin guards, threatening gestures)
• Physical pushing, kicking, hitting, punching or any use of violence
• Racist - racial taunts, graffiti, gestures
• Sexual - unwanted physical contact or sexually abusive comments
• Homophobic - because of, or focussing on the issue of sexuality
• Verbal - name-calling, sarcasm, spreading rumours, teasing.

Why is it important to respond to bullying?
Bullying hurts. No one deserves to be a victim of bullying. Everybody has the right to be treated with respect. Individuals who are bullying need to learn different ways of behaving. The impact upon a child or young person can be devastating and in some cases affect all aspects of their life, in extreme circumstances it can lead to suicide threats or even attempts.

Who and Where?
Although anyone can be the target of bullying, children and young people who are perceived as “different” from the majority may be at greater risk of bullying. This includes children and young people from minority cultures or children and young people with disabilities. Victims are often shy and sensitive and perhaps anxious or insecure.

Bullying can take place anywhere, but is more likely to take place where there is inadequate supervision. In football it is more likely to take place in the changing rooms, or on the way to and from the football pitch - but can also take place at a training session or in a competition.

Football’s competitive nature can create and even support an environment for the bully if individuals and clubs are unaware. The bully in football can be a parent who pushes too hard, a coach or manager who has a win-at-all costs philosophy; a child or young person intimidating another; or an official who places unfair pressure on a child or young person. The victim is often weaker and less powerful and the outcome is always painful and distressing.

In an NSPCC survey of young people (2000), bullying was reported to be the most common source of distress and anxiety.