Loughborough University, in partnership with Mission 89 and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association UK Branch of the British Parliament, has released the first-ever comprehensive global thematic report on sport trafficking.
The report presents a rigorous academic and policy-oriented analysis of human trafficking in the global sports ecosystem. It details a comprehensive literature review, interdisciplinary expert consultations, forensic analysis of documented trafficking incidents, comparative international policy assessment, and 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.