TOKYO (Kyodo) -- A total of 536 complaints about athletes being subjected to violence and abuse of power were reported in fiscal 2024, the highest since the survey began in fiscal 2014, the Japan Sport Association said Wednesday.

The largest group of complaints, making up 48 percent of the total, concerned elementary school students, while complaints from junior high school students accounted for 18 percent and high school students at 12 percent.

The JSA attributed the rise from 485 cases in fiscal 2023 to a campaign run by the association highlighting the different types of harassment and promoting the use of various hotlines to report violations.

In many cases, children found it difficult to speak up about being a victim, with 63 percent of the cases reported by parents and just 17 percent by the child directly.

Verbal abuse is still on the rise, accounting for 41 percent of the total. Physical abuse made up 13 percent.

Among the problems reported were instructors and coaches not treating athletes equally and forcing players to leave their team, according to the survey.

In the fiscal year ended March 31, 61 cases were reported via a consultation hotline for children that opened in July 2022, up about 1.3 times from fiscal 2023.