Athagora Research Ethics & Participation

Our principle

Research about people creates responsibilities towards people.

Commercial value does not override dignity, safety or informed participation.

Voluntary participation

Where Athagora asks someone to participate directly in research, participation is normally voluntary.

Participants receive clear information explaining:

• who Athagora is
• why the research is being conducted
• what participation involves
• how information may be used
• whether they can be identified
• whether responses may be quoted
• whether the research is commissioned or funded
• how they can ask questions or raise concerns

Informed consent

Consent should represent an actual decision.

We do not use confusing consent language or assume that someone's participation automatically permits every possible future use of their information.

Where consent is relied upon, an appropriate record is retained.

Withdrawal

Where practical, participants are told whether they can withdraw and until what stage withdrawal is possible.

Once information has been irreversibly anonymised and incorporated into aggregate research, later removal may not always be technically possible.

Children and young people

Athagora may study youth sport, young supporters, media behaviour, access, talent development and related social questions.

That does not mean children must automatically participate directly.

Before directly involving children or young people, we conduct a project-specific ethical and safeguarding assessment.

We consider:

• age
• maturity
• understanding
• sensitivity of the research
• parental or guardian involvement where required or appropriate
• privacy
• safeguarding
• incentives
• ability to withdraw
• publication risks
• the power relationship between the young person and any club, school, coach or organisation involved

Research information intended for children is written so that it is understandable to that age group.

Children should never be pressured to participate because a club, school, parent, coach or other authority wants them to.

Safeguarding

Where research creates a realistic possibility of safeguarding disclosures, a safeguarding process is established before the research begins.

We do not promise absolute confidentiality where Athagora may need to act in response to a serious safeguarding concern.

Vulnerable participants

Additional care is used where circumstances may affect someone's ability to participate freely or understand the consequences of participation.

Incentives

Research incentives may compensate or thank participants.

They should not be so large that they create inappropriate pressure to participate.

Deception

Athagora does not use deception as a routine research method.

If incomplete disclosure is ever genuinely necessary, the justification, risks and participant impact must be considered before the research begins.

Harm

A commercially interesting question is not sufficient justification for disproportionate harm.

Athagora may refuse or redesign research where foreseeable harm outweighs its likely value.