What is ethical coaching?

The ethical dimension of coaching practice has long proved to be a problematic issue. Obvious abuses of coaches’ practice may be easy to identify but the distinction between ethical and unethical behaviour is often less clear and not helped by an absence of consensus on the meaning of the terms. The paper examines the lessons to be learned from the academic literature in this field. Direct, indirect and consequential responsibilities are identified, and the coach’s role in establishing a moral climate is emphasised, whilst taking into account the outcome orientation of elite sport. The limitations of codes of conduct are discussed, particularly the creation of a ‘loophole’ culture, as is the role of power differentials in sexual and emotional abuse. The paper concludes that coaches should be encouraged to reflect critically on their role, and that vigilance and targeted monitoring may help to move the focus to positive rather than ‘not unethical’ behaviour.

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