About

The IOC Certificate Safeguarding Officer in Sport course, a first of its kind, international safeguarding officer certificate program, is aimed at those who have been appointed or will be appointed as safeguarding officers; serve as the focal point for safeguarding issues; or work in the field of sport integrity, for national or international sports organisations, particularly National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and National Federations (NFs).  Composed of 7 learning modules, this course will introduce participants to their crucial role in the prevention of and response to harassment and abuse (non-accidental violence) in sport including significant contributions to the prioritisation of athlete well-being and safeguarding both within their organisation and at major sporting events. 

The IOC Certificate: Safeguarding Officer in Sport is awarded by the International Olympic Committee. 

Certificates will be presented to successful students at a ceremony held at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

Course Aims

Upon completion of the program, participants will have acquired the skills to:

  • Describe the core concepts involved in safeguarding athletes in and through sport: the building blocks necessary to create a safe environment for everyone in sport.
  • Offer advice and support to their sports organisation in the development, adoption, implementation and monitoring of safeguarding policies, procedures, and practices in line with the organisation's values, code of ethics, code of conduct, and good governance principles.
  • Describe the core components of an athlete-centred approach to safeguarding based on the fundamental right of all persons to participate in Safe Sport: Sport, which is fair, equitable, accountable, and free from all forms of non-accidental violence.
  • Demonstrate knowledge of and competence in what is needed to ensure effective implementation of these core components.
  • Describe their role (and that of others inside and outside their organization) in implementing appropriate, athlete-centered systems for receiving and responding to all reported safeguarding concerns, including all forms of harassment and abuse, received by their sports organisation.
  • Demonstrate a sound understanding of mechanisms to monitor and evaluate the implementation of safeguarding policies, procedures, and practices.

Overview

The course will introduce participants to their important role in the prevention of and response to non-accidental violence in sport - including significant contributions to the prioritisation of athlete well-being and safeguarding both within their organisation and at major sporting events. 

The course will address what constitutes non-accidental violence in sport, how and why it occurs, and its impact on athletes, their families and others in the athlete’s entourage and management. It will cover information about the policies, procedures, systems and structures which need to be put in place to respond to reported concerns about athlete safeguarding and protection following an athlete-centred approach, and how these fit with the roles and responsibilities of statutory agencies. 

Unique considerations relating to groups who are more vulnerable to harassment and abuse in sport will be addressed specifically throughout the course along with the intersection of safe sport with other integrity issues.

The course is designed to complement existing policies, research, educational tools and training material currently produced and supported by the IOC, with specific reference to the IOC consensus statements on Sexual Harassment and Abuse in Sport (2006) + Harassment and Abuse in Sport (2017) and looks to empower participants to become educators and supporters of athletes and other athlete support personnel on safeguarding matters.

The course will consist of lectures and assessments across a series of module topics, plus mandatory and recommended reading from various reference sources. Students will also be provided with information regarding a selection of key IOC training resources such as the Athlete365 online course: “Safeguarding Athletes from Harassment and Abuse,”.

Audience

This course is aimed at those who

  • have been appointed or seek to be appointed as safeguarding officers, or
  • serve as their organisation’s focal point for safeguarding issues, or
  • work in the field of sport integrity,

for national or international sports organisations, particularly National Olympic Committees (NOCs), International Federations (IFs) and National Federations (NFs). This list is not exhaustive and persons who fill this role for other sports organisations may also apply.