In an effort to combat violence in all its forms within the sporting community, France’s Ministry of Sport has announced the launch of a new reporting system for victims and witnesses of abuse.
In collaboration with the Olympic and Paralympic Games Committee, the French Ministry of Sport officially unveiled a new series of tools and mechanisms to improve the way in which victims and witnesses can report acts of abuse on Monday 26th February 2024. It forms part of a national strategy against abuse in the sporting community that goes back to December 2019.
At the heart of this initiative is a national unit for processing reports of violence in sport and providing victims of abuse – sexual, physical, and psychological abuse as well as sexist remarks, excessive controlling behaviours and mistreatment – with the support they need. The unit also handles instances of complicity or failure to report such incidents. The main access point for the unit is via email: signal-sports@sports.gouv.fr.
In due course, the Ministry will also be rolling out a wide range of promotional materials to help raise awareness on the issue. These include posters, social media clips and visuals tailored to various communication platforms that are particularly targeted at young athletes and their guardians. Aimed at key stakeholders in French sports, such as sporting federations, the French National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOSF), the French Paralympic and Sports Committee (CPSF) and Paris Games 2024 organising committe, these resources are also accessible to anyone keen on advocating against abuse in sport.
The effort to fight against sports violence aligns with a wider dedication to athlete welfare, which will be highlighted at the IOC World Conference on Prevention of Injury and Illness in Sport, which is taking place in Monaco from 29th February to 2nd March. The conference will delve into the latest in athlete care, emphasising the shared goal of protecting athletes’ health and creating safer sports environments.
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