LAUSANNE (INSIDE THE GAMES)—On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) reaffirmed its commitment to safe sport by announcing the release of its third consensus statement on safeguarding and interpersonal violence in sport.
Published on Monday in the British Journal of Sports Medicine (BJSM), the 2024 IOC Consensus Statement on Interpersonal Violence and Safeguarding in Sport is based on a review of over 24,000 citations in nine languages. This new statement enhances the evidence base with updated strategies and insights, incorporating significant advancements in safeguarding research.
Included within the statement are a new socioecological model of interpersonal violence in sport; the voices and perspectives of athletes, acknowledging their essential role in shaping effective safeguarding practices; a broader focus that considers the numerous societal influences on sport; and the diverse experiences of ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, women, children, and persons with disabilities. The statement also outlines specific interventions for prevention and response.
Authored collaboratively by 15 international experts, including athlete representation, and led by Professors Yetsa Adebodunde Tuakli-Wosornu of Stanford University and Daniel Rhind of Loughborough University as Chair and Co-chair, this updated consensus statement reflects a global effort to promote safe sport and protect all participants.
Kirsty Burrows, Head of the IOC Safe Sport Unit, described the new consensus statement as: “the pinnacle of our leadership in this space, and fundamental to our work looking forwards.” She added: “We convened leading experts to set the agenda based on scientific evidence—not just ideas we hope will work,” underscoring the IOC’s reliance on rigorous research to inform its policies and initiatives.
Key Points
The consensus statement presents five main recommendations, highlighting the collective responsibility of eliminating interpersonal violence in sport. These include:
*Addressing safe sport as a shared responsibility for all.
*Recognising that safe sport is for everyone within the sports ecosystem.
*Encouraging awareness, adoption, and implementation of the latest scientific knowledge on safeguarding.
*Promoting athlete-centred sport that prioritises mutual care and respect.
*Reaching out to unheard voices and incorporating global perspectives into safe sport practices.
“As a Ghanaian athlete abroad, I saw and still see sport’s duality up close. Though imperfect, sport offers unparalleled promise because it belongs to all of us. Whether playing, coaching or watching, sport connects us. This paper attempts to break a complex issue down to its roots, so readers more readily recognise interpersonal violence in sport as something we can solve together, and addressing it benefits everyone,” explained Chair Yetsa Adebodunde Tuakli-Wosornu.
“The 2024 consensus statement highlights the significant progress we’ve made in understanding the causes, nature, and impacts of interpersonal violence in sport. We now need more solutions-focused research to identify what creates safe sport in different contexts. This will help ensure that our collective drive to go Faster, aim Higher, and be Stronger—Together, is realised through safe sport,” said Co-chair Daniel Rhind.
A strong foundation
The announcement of this publication builds on nearly two decades of the IOC’s leadership in safe sport policy development, striving to create environments where all athletes can train and compete safely. The first IOC consensus statement on safeguarding was published in 2007. A second statement in 2016 expanded the scope to include physical and psychological abuse, neglect, and hazing, while introducing the concept of Safe Sport, emphasising the importance of safeguarding in all levels of athletic participation.
This latest consensus statement underpins the IOC’s initiatives to strengthen safeguarding efforts in sport. These include the Safe Sport Regional Hub Initiative, which held its first Steering Committee meeting on 20 November 2024—World Children’s Day.
The IOC’s commitment to safe sport was also prominently demonstrated at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where the most comprehensive package of mental health and safeguarding initiatives ever seen at an Olympic event was introduced. This included creating a network of over 150 Athlete Welfare Officers within National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs) to provide tailored mental health and safeguarding support for all athletes….PACNEWS