The Gymnastics Ethics Foundation (GEF) today officially signed the pledge to promote and advocate for the International Safeguards for Children in Sport through its network, and to embed them in its work.
The International Safeguards are a foundational framework aimed at helping organisations, which either work directly with children in sport or have a governance capacity, create a safe sporting environment through the following eight commitments:
- Have a safeguarding policy.
- Know what to do if you are worried about a child.
- Provide advice and support to staff and children.
- Understand and address risk.
- Agree what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.
- Safely recruit and train your staff.
- Share safeguarding with your partners.
- Monitor, evaluate and learn.
Micheline Calmy-Rey, President of the Gymnastics Ethics Foundation, said:
“To strengthen the safeguarding of athletes and other participants in gymnastics from harassment and abuse is the Foundation’s raison d’être and expertise. We are implementing the International Safeguards on a daily basis and help National Federations to set up robust policies and procedures in this critical field.”
She added:
“Taking the pledge has an important symbolic character for us, highlighting our readiness to collaborate. Sharing expertise contributes to finding global solutions to better protecting the physical and mental well-being of athletes which has turned out to be a significant challenge across all sports and in all corners of the world.”
The International Safeguards are already featured in Resources section of the GEF’s website. They were developed ten years ago by a partnership of governmental entities, organisations and academics and since then, more than 100 organisations from across the world have taken the pledge to keep children safe in sport.