Stuart WoodAs part of its ongoing efforts to promote athletes’ safety and wellbeing, the executive board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has launched the “International Safeguarding Officer in Sport Certificate”.
The new safeguarding initiative will commence in September 2021, and will be the first of its kind. There is currently no certificate or minimum standard of education or training for safeguarding officers in sport on an international level.
The five-month education course will be developed by an International Advisory Board of experts, under three Programme Directors, and will be aligned with other international efforts to protect athletes and align sports policies and programmes with the United Nations 2030 Agenda.
It will be hosted on sportsoracle. The course will include a final examination, which must be passed in order to receive the certification.
Registration for this course – which will be open to anyone, but aimed in particular at International Federations (IFs), National Federations (NFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) – will incur a fee.
IOC President Thomas Bach commented: “The safety and wellbeing of athletes are paramount to the IOC and the Olympic Movement. We need to make every effort to keep athletes safe and to guard their rights. I am pleased that we can today initiate this certificate to enhance awareness and education in this important area of athlete welfare, reinforcing the stance against all forms of harassment and abuse in sport.”