Lack of policy support for chronic conditions in UK sport: a scoping review of National Governing Bodies

AimsNational Governing Bodies (NGBs) for sport in the United Kingdom (UK) are responsible for setting standards and ensuring safe, inclusive participation for all, including people with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). This audit systematically assessed the extent and quality of policy provision among UK-based NGBs, focusing on support for athletes with T1D. The findings were compared with epilepsy, asthma, and allergies to evaluate equity and consistency in safeguarding and inclusion practices. MethodsO_ST_ABSDesignC_ST_ABSA systematic policy audit of UK sport NGBs to assess the presence and content of policies addressing athletes with T1D, asthma, epilepsy, and allergies. Data SourcesPolicy documents were accessed through public materials on NGB websites. NGBs were contacted by email to confirm the existence of relevant policies, and to request any documents not currently included on their website. Eligibility CriteriaSports were included if their NGB had a publicly accessible website. ResultsOf 185 NGBs, 20 (11%) had policy documents mentioning diabetes, 14 (7.7%) asthma, 12 (6.6%) epilepsy, and 4 (2.2%) allergies. Of the 20 NGBs with documents mentioning diabetes, only 4 had dedicated diabetes policies. The remaining 16 referred to diabetes in broader documents. ConclusionDespite increasing emphasis on inclusion in sport, few NGBs have clear policies to support individuals with diabetes. This is also the case for asthma, epilepsy, and allergies. We recommend the development of national policies for diabetes, which can be adapted by individual sporting bodies. Equity, diversity, and inclusion statementThe author group is gender balanced and consists of junior and senior researchers from a range of disciplines and ethnic backgrounds, based in the UK and one African country. Our study population included sports organisations in the UK, covering a diverse range of sociodemographic backgrounds and populations; although findings may not be generalisable to settings with fewer resources. What is already known?O_LIRegular physical activity helps to improve control, boost wellbeing, and reduces long-term complications in people with diabetes, however many people with diabetes are not meeting recommended levels of physical activity. C_LIO_LINational Governing Bodies play a pivotal role in enabling and safeguarding participation of those with diabetes in sport. C_LIO_LICoaches frequently lack the essential training and expertise required to support athletes living with diabetes. C_LI What this study has found?O_LIOut of 185 National Governing Bodies in the United Kingdom, only four (2%) have dedicated policies to support people with diabetes. C_LIO_LIProvision for athletes with epilepsy, asthma, and allergies is similarly scarce. C_LI What are the implications of the study?O_LIWe recommend a national diabetes sporting policy is developed that can be modified by National Governing Bodies to reflect the needs of their specific sport. C_LIO_LISimilar policies should also be developed for other common chronic health conditions, including epilepsy, asthma, and allergies. C_LI