what is hazing in sports

Hazing in sports refers to any activity expected of athletes joining a sport team that humiliates or abuses them, whether the athlete wants to participate or not. Hazing is often performed by a group and is done to individuals who want to join a group. Examples of hazing activities include being thrown in water or mud, eating disgusting things, wearing embarrassing clothing, drinking alcohol, destroying property, and being beaten. Hazing can have negative psychological effects on athletes, including a decrease in confidence, self-doubting, depression, helplessness, low self-esteem, and even suicidal thoughts. Hazing can lead to lower team cohesion, injuries, and make reaching academic and athletic goals improbable. The NCAA defines hazing as "any act committed against someone joining or becoming a member or maintaining membership in any organization that is humiliating, intimidating or demeaning, or endangers the health and safety of the person". To reduce hazing in sports, administrators and coaches need to immediately investigate any incidents of hazing and work together with student-athletes to develop anti-hazing policies that promote healthy team bonding.