Safeguarding
"acting at the source can trigger, a decisive awareness"
This page is about #safeguarding policies for Circuit EAP meetings.
However, it is still under development. More detailed information will be released ahead of the 2024 EAP outdoor season.
Everything is fine ?
🚨 -> IF NOT (for yourself or if you witness unacceptable behavior) please report directly to International Olympic Committee’s Integrity and Compliance Hotline (can be anonymous). Available in English and French.
You can report: Competition Manipulation • Integrity non-compliance (other than competition manipulation) • Harassment/abuse in sport • Press Freedom Violations
Also read the information notice, before reporting: https://olympics.com/ioc/hotline-information-notice and note: "(…) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), as well as certain International Federation(s) and other sports organisations also operate similar platforms or reporting tools to address specific issues like anti-doping or issues impacting their respective sports. Please consider using the platforms or reporting tools before reporting a matter via the Hotline as the organisations managing them may be in a better position than the IOC to effectively address the case you are reporting. (...) The Hotline is available to anyone having information related to a plausible case of competition manipulation, integrity non-compliance, abuse or harassment or other integrity issue and wishing to report this case to the IOC.. (...) If you are under 16 or minor under the laws of your country of residence, you can only use the Hotline with the authorisation of your parents or legal guardian."
EAP safeguard policies only reflect the findings and apply the guidelines of the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and WA (World Athletics).
But we feel particularly involved in this process and for this reason, the EAP has decided to integrate the obligation for each participating athlete (respectively his companion, coach, manager, delegate) to read our policy when registering for a competition.
All athletes have the obligation to be aware, via our registration forms, that certain behavior is harmful and punishable. They will also know how to act and who to contact in the event of abuse or harassment.
We are convinced that acting at the source can trigger, especially among the youngest participants, a decisive awareness. As a result, the person concerned will immediately know where to turn, in complete safety, including in a context of distress and emergency.
We want to be efficient through our proximity and our transparency. And thus help to avoid the psychological damage associated with this kind of situation.
Why bother with this problem when all national federations are already adjusting over in 2023 ?
First of all because the problem is urgent and we cannot afford to delay.
We have a great responsibility. And we must act accordingly.
But above all because we are a circuit that allows around 10,000 young sportsmen and sportswomen to compete abroad and this is often "the first time that a companion travels with young athletes and that for one or, often, two nights, is in the hotel, far from home". Out of 10,000 young sportsmen and women, statistically we have to worry and the typicality of young age means that if something were to happen in our meetings, we must be the first to be able to provide answers on behaviors that are not acceptable.
The Types of Abuse
(source: www.en-garde.org)
bullying (or cyberbullying if conducted online) is unwanted, repeated and intentional, aggressive behaviour usually among peers, and can involve a real or perceived power imbalance. Bullying can include actions such as making threats, spreading rumours or falsehoods, attacking someone physically or verbally and deliberately excluding someone.
an organised, usually team-based, form of bullying in sport, involving degrading and hazardous initiation of new team members by veteran team members.
antipathy, contempt, prejudice, aversion or hatred towards LGBT+Q community.
the failure of parents or care givers to meet a child's physical and emotional needs or failure to protect a child from exposure to danger. This definition equally applies to coaches and athlete entourages.
acts of omission regarding athlete safety. For example, depriving an athlete of food/or drink; insufficient rest and recovery; failure to provide a safe physical training environment; or developmental age-inappropriate or physique-inappropriate training methods.
non-accidental trauma or physical injury caused by punching, beating, kicking, biting, burning or otherwise harming an athlete. This could include forced or mandated inappropriate physical activity (eg, age-inappropriate or physique-inappropriate training loads; when injured or in pain); forced alcohol consumption; or systematic doping practices.
a pattern of deliberate, prolonged, repeated non-contact behaviours within a power differentiated relationship.This form of abuse is at the core of all other forms. Some definitions refer to emotional or psychological abuse interchangeably. In this document, we refer to psychological abuse in recognition that the psyche consists of more than emotions. It also consists of cognitions, values and beliefs about oneself, and the world. The behaviours that constitute psychological abuse target a person's inner life in all its profound scope.
any conduct of a sexual nature, whether non-contact, contact or penetrative, where consent is coerced/manipulated or is not or cannot be given.
any unwanted and unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non-verbal or physical.
the grooming process is whereby the perpetrator prepares and desensitises their victim and entices them to submit.
is when someone exercises control over another person and/or their assets for their own “personal gain” and without the fully informed consent of the person. Personal gain may be psychological, reputational or commercial and constitutes exploitation when the rights of a person are sold or negotiated without the express and fully informed consent of the other person.
Knowing that and "According to the Council of Europe about one in five children in Europe are victims of some form of sexual violence. This includes sexual touching, rape, sexual harassment, grooming, exhibitionism, exploitation in prostitution and pornography, online sexual extortion, and coercion." (source: https://www.en-garde.org/the-issue)
More on:
- WORLD ATHLETICS MEMBER FEDERATION RESOURCE CENTER https://www.worldathletics.org/about-iaaf/documents/member-federation-resource-centre
- https://worldathletics.org/athletics-better-world/safeguarding
SAFE SPORT
(source : https://olympics.com/athlete365/safe-sport/)
Safe Sport is an environment where athletes can train and compete in healthy and supportive surroundings; an environment which is respectful, equitable, and free from all forms of harassment and abuse. Help us to protect athletes and unite to stop all forms of harassment and abuse in sport.