An Identification and Prioritization of Ethical Criteria for Iranian Wrestling Coaches

It is necessary to respect ethical codes and principles in sport and this fact can prevent many ethical abnormalities in sport fields. Thus, the present study aimed at identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing ethical criteria necessary for Iranian wrestling coaches. The present study used a kind of mixed method (qualitative and quantitative research methods). Firstly, there was an exploratory review of literature of ethics in sport in reliable sport federations and the associations of sport coaches in different countries to identify ethical criteria. In the second phase, data were collected by interviews with experts until theoretical saturation. The third phase was conducted by a survey. Data were analyzed using content analysis of interviews, Lawshe index, confirmatory factor analysis, and entropy technique. In each phase, the criteria were examined and summarized. The results showed that according to the viewpoints of managers, coaches, referees, experts, and wrestlers, ethical consideration in matches was the first priority (weight: 0.363). Ethical consideration in social environment was the second priority (weight: 0.229), ethical consideration in exercise was the third priority (weight: 0.207), and finally ethical consideration in family was the fourth priority (weight: 0.199). It is suggested that Ministry of Sport and Youth and Wrestling Federation of I.R.I should use these identified criteria to codify ethical constitution for Iranian wrestling coaches. They should also teach these ethical criteria to coaches all around the country with a help from Wrestling International Institute that has the mission to educate coaches so that coaches can recognize their ethical responsibilities.