The House of Lords Sport and Recreation Committee will tomorrow
hold an evidence session on safeguarding in sport as it explores
whether enough is done to protect children and adults from abuse
and exploitation.
Issues around safeguarding in sport have come to prominence in
recent years and high-profile cases of sexual abuse of children
have emerged in football as well as bullying and coercive control
in gymnastics and other sports.
Members of the Committee include
who wrote the 2017 Duty of Care in Sport Review which recommended
the creation of a Sport Ombudsman to hold National Governing
Bodies to account for the Duty of Care they provide to all
athletes, coaches and support staff.
The evidence session will start at 3:30pm on Wednesday 28
April. The session can be followed live and on demand at www.parliamentlive.tv.
Giving evidence to the Committee will be:
-
Gary Cliffe, Ambassador, Offside Trust
-
Professor Mike Hartill, Director, Centre for
Child Protection & Safeguarding in Sport (CPSS), Edge Hill
University
-
Kimberley Walsh, Safeguarding Adults in Sport
Manager, Ann Craft Trust
Issues the session will cover include:
- The Government’s track record in recent years in
strengthening safeguarding in sport at both the grassroots and
elite level.
- Whether current laws are sufficient to protect both children
and adults who may be at risk in sport and recreation
settings.
- Whether sport governing bodies take the issue seriously
enough and how they can be held to account if they fail to do
so.
- The possible benefits and difficulties of a register of
coaches and who should be responsible for maintaining it.
- The different risks faced by athletes at elite and grassroots
levels and whether different approaches to safeguarding and Duty
of Care are required.
