Briefing Paper

Soccer, Safety and Science: Why Evidence is Key

Sports-based violence prevention programmes have broad appeal, including among police, policy makers and politicians. This policy brief presents a case study of the Eyethu Soccer League, a behavioural intervention that was carefully planned, implemented and evaluated – and yet did not achieve its aims. Findings caution against ‘easy wins’ and suggest that short-term skills-building programmes may struggle to solve structural challenges.