Professional Ethics and Conduct in Physical Education and Sports Coaching in Nigerian Universities

Professional ethics in physical education and sports coaching encompass the values, standards of conduct, and accountability mechanisms that govern the professional behaviour of coaches and physical educators within university settings. This study examines knowledge and adherence to professional ethics and conduct among physical education lecturers and sports coaches in Nigerian universities in the South West geopolitical zone. A descriptive survey design was employed, with 180 physical education lecturers and sports coaches from 12 universities completing a validated professional ethics questionnaire covering informed consent, athlete confidentiality, prevention of harassment, conflict of interest management, duty of care, and professional boundaries. Structured vignette scenarios assessed decision-making in ethically complex situations. Findings reveal that formal knowledge of professional ethics codes is high among university-employed physical educators but self-reported adherence to specific principles, particularly those concerning professional boundaries, conflict of interest management, and harassment prevention, is significantly lower than knowledge scores suggest. Coaches working in high-performance sports environments report greater exposure to ethical dilemmas and lower support from institutional ethics frameworks. Only 28 percent of institutions possess a formal sports and physical education ethics policy. Recommendations include developing institutional physical education and sports ethics policies, mandatory professional ethics training for all coaching staff, establishment of confidential reporting mechanisms for ethical violations, and inclusion of sports ethics modules in physical education degree programmes. Keywords: professional ethics, sports coaching, physical education, universities, South West Nigeria