Our Player Union and Association clients include:
Athlead has worked with the global footballers’ union FIFPRO since 2018, on issues including athlete activism, racial discrimination, and abuse and harassment. These include:
WHAT EQUAL PLAYING FIELD:
In 2021, Athlead helped FIFPRO produce ‘What Equal Playing Field?’, a report amplifying the voices of professional footballers, including Anita Asante, Vincent Kompany, Giorgio Chiellini, and Quinn. The report combined player testimonies, research, and reform demands, with recommendations for sports bodies and a practical roadmap for member unions. Read the report here.
RESPONDING TO ABUSE WORKSHOP:
In 2021, Athlead worked with FIFPRO to deliver a series of global workshops on reporting sexual abuse, bringing together over 40 player unions. The sessions equipped union leaders with practical tools to strengthen reporting mechanisms, support survivors, and reduce the risk of further harm. By combining legal expertise with survivor-centred approaches, the workshops provided unions with a roadmap to create safer environments for players worldwide. Read the report here.
REPORT ON ABUSE IN FOOTBALL:
In 2021, Athlead assisted FIFPRO in developing a report on abuse in football, looking at lessons learned and recommendations. The report analyses the conditions that enable misconduct and abuse. We provided concrete recommendations for reform, including transparency on abusive conduct, trauma-informed investigations, and stronger victim support mechanisms.
In 2024, World Players Association (WPA) launched the CASES project to build capacity amongst player unions’ legal teams and executives to support athletes who face abuse. CASES is the latest development in a series of efforts underpinning WPA’s and its affiliates’ commitments to safeguard the long-term health, safety, development and well-being of players, as people and workers. The project was led by Athlead’s Kat Craig and World Players’ Director of Sport and Human Rights Ginous Alford.
Athlead was engaged to provide specialist expertise on safeguarding, trauma-informed approaches, and access to remedy for affected players. Together, these inputs informed a landmark report that set out clear pathways to strengthen protections, empower athletes, and embed safer, more inclusive practices within Australian football. Read the report here.
Athlead worked with the World Cricketers’ Association (WCA) to design a specialist educational module that raised awareness of these issues while clearly outlining players’ rights and responsibilities under the WCA’s Anti-Discrimination and Harassment Code. The module equipped professional cricketers with practical knowledge and guidance, helping to build safer sporting environments and strengthening the WCA’s commitment to safeguarding, accountability, and inclusion within global cricket.