IOC announces USD 10 million fund to strengthen safe sport and creates working group to coordinate Olympic Movement safeguarding efforts
As part of its ongoing effort to promote athletes’ safety, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has announced that it will create a fund of USD 10 million per Olympiad to strengthen the prevention of and response to harassment and abuse in sport at the local level.
IOC/Greg Martin
The announcement was made by IOC President Thomas Bach during a conference hosted by the IOC in Lausanne and attended by representatives from 36 International Federations (IFs), plus the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF).
“We have to undertake all the efforts to have an offer for safe sport everywhere, every time and for everybody. This topic is not only affecting elite sport; it starts at grassroot level with the kids,” said the IOC President. “We need a coordinated and customised approach for every culture, for every sport and also for the different kind of incidents that can happen.”
President Bach presented the IOC Executive Board proposal of a working group chaired by Executive Board member and Deputy Chair of the IOC’s Gender Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commission, HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein. The working group’s remit will be to consider the best approach to establishing independent safeguarding systems and structures at the national level, which will ensure that resources are directed to where they are most needed to support athletes and build safeguarding capacity in sports organisations.
“The announcement by President Bach marks a historic moment in this field,”
“Over the past few years, cases of harassment and abuse in sport have continued to come to light with increasing frequency - showing no discrimination in sport, discipline or geographical location. As we look towards a new chapter and convene this working group, it is essential that we come together and look to see how we may bridge the gap between the important work being done at the international level, and the need for local solutions.”
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