Whose Voices Matter? Qualitative Insights on Student-Athletes’ Perspectives on Sport Policies in Korea

Recent social incidents in South Korea, including the Choi Soon-sil corruption scandal, the athlete-focused #MeToo movement, and the establishment of the Sport Reform Committee (SRC), have spurred significant debate over school sport policy reform. Yet, it remains unclear whether such reforms reflect the lived realities of student-athletes. This study examines student-athletes’ perceptions of policy changes following the SRC’s Second Recommendation in 2019. Drawing on in-depth qualitative interviews, two central issues emerged: the misalignment between reforms emphasizing academic performance and student-athletes’ entrenched athletic identities, and their perceived exclusion from policymaking processes. Together, these tensions undermine both the legitimacy and effectiveness of the reforms. The findings contribute to the literature by situating student-athletes’ voices within broader discussions of role engulfment and policy legitimacy, addressing a critical gap in research that has largely emphasized expert perspectives. From a practical standpoint, the study underscores the need for a dual strategy: substantively, by adopting identity-sensitive measures such as flexible academic pathways; and procedurally, by institutionalizing mechanisms for student-athlete participation in governance. Although limited by a small sample size and retrospective data, the study provides timely insights into the challenges of aligning educational objectives with athletic identities in Korean school sport policy.