LAUSR

Safe sport is defined by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as “an athletic environment that is respectful, equitable, and free from all forms of nonaccidental violence (harassment and abuse) to athletes” Although there are many physical and psychosocial benefits of sport participation, harassment and abuse experienced during sport can have a negative impact on athlete health and well-being. The IOC consensus statement authors identify 5 forms of harassment and abuse in sport: psychological abuse, physical abuse, neglect, sexual abuse, and sexual harassment. Much has been accomplished in the field with the introduction of the Safeguarding Framework at the 2016 Olympic Games, and the launch of the IOC Toolkit to assist International Federations and National Olympic Committees with the creation and implementation of athlete safeguarding policies and procedures. There has also been an increase in scientific publications illuminating the prevalence of harassment and abuse. In addition, knowledge translation initiatives have been developed to inform athletes of their right to safe sport that were implemented at the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in both the Summer 2018 and the Winter 2020 editions. Athletes’ right to a sporting experience free of harassment and abuse is underpinned by several statutory frameworks, including the Olympic Charter, and the IOC Code of Ethics. TheOlympicAgenda 202015 identifies safe sport as a strategic priority ensuring targeted human and financial resources. Safeguarding is also embedded in the Athletes’ Rights and Responsibilities Declaration, the Basic Universal Principles of GoodGovernance of theOlympic andSportsMovement, and the Olympic Movement Medical Code. Although safeguarding prevention and response measures should reflect the principle that everyone has a right to safe sport, research indicates that some athletes are at a higher risk, and therefore may require further specific measures, interventions, and support. Athletes at a higher risk include elite, disabled, lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual, and youth athletes. In a review commissioned by UNICEF, Brackenridge et al, underscore the importance of the protection of children in the sport context through the adoption of ethical guidelines and codes of conduct. Nite and Nauright highlight the importance of an integrated approach to the prevention of child maltreatment in sport, which considers social, institutional, and cultural factors. In conjunction with the 2015 IOC Youth Athlete Development Model, Mountjoy et al, developed a youth athleteoriented safeguarding framework and recommendations. Youth athletes have the right to participate in sport in a safe and enjoyable environment. Their rights, which apply to the sporting context, are enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child which states that: