A scoping review of safeguarding challenges in combat sports and martial arts

Background Safeguarding has gained increasing international attention as a core component of athlete welfare and ethical sport governance. However, combat sports and martial arts (CS&MA) remain relatively underexamined within safeguarding research despite their unique structural and cultural characteristics. This scoping review was conducted as part of the Safe Combat Erasmus+ project. It aimed to examine how safeguarding can be conceptualized within CS&MA and synthesize the nature and prevalence of different types of safeguarding concerns specific to these disciplines. Methods A scoping review was conducted across Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed between March and April 2025. Peer reviewed articles published in English after 2012 were eligible for inclusion. Data from the included studies were synthesized using a thematic categorization approach. Results Thirty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Findings were organized into four themes: (1) Interpersonal violence and discrimination; (2) Weight-cutting and health consequences; (3) Injuries; (4) Brain injuries and concussions. The literature indicates that safeguarding concerns in CS&MA extend beyond interpersonal violence (IV) and includes a broader range of health, safety and well-being issues. Conclusion The findings support a more context-sensitive conceptualization of safeguarding in CS&MA that encompasses different risks. Due to the sport-specificity of the disciplines under study, safeguarding efforts should be attentive not only to IV but also concerns such as weight-cutting, injury prevention and concussion management. The review provides an evidence base for the development of tailored safeguarding frameworks, policies and educational initiatives that can promote safer CS&MA environments.