Coaches, athletes, and federation leaders are raising the alarm about the negative impact social media is having on young people and athletes in Kosovo. They emphasize that addiction to digital platforms is distracting youth from training and physical activity, and in some cases, even pushing them to abandon sports altogether.
Young people’s desire to showcase everything on social media is also said to be making coaches’ work more difficult in trying to get the best performance from the athletes they train.
Volleyball coach Herta Jahje told KosovaPress that the focus young people have on social media is excessive, and recommended closer cooperation between coaches, teachers, and parents to change this situation.
But the issue doesn’t stop at a lack of focus. Volleyball coach Elona Kolgeci said there are cases where, due to social media, many young people choose to quit sports entirely.
The fact that this problem is taking on serious proportions is also acknowledged by the Federation of School Sports. The president of the federation, Adrian Telaku, points out that the problem of social media focus starts at a very young age—even from kindergarten—calling it a major challenge for children’s education and physical development.
Judoka Enise Zijade, who recently won the bronze medal at the EYOF 2025 Games, emphasized that social media can distract athletes from training and prevent them from giving their best to achieve their sports goals.
Coaches and federation officials believe that if this trend where young people have all their focus on social networks does not change, then Kosovo may risk not being among the countries that aim for elite sports results in the international arena in the future. /A.Bytyçi