Review of country level measures

• Author: Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (European Commission), ECORYS
• Pages: 28-45

28

5.0 Review of country level measures

This section provides a revi ew of the main findings of the country reviews, focusing on

country level measures designed to tackl e the issue of safeguarding children in sport.

Case studies of particular measures identified as potential good practices and innovative

responses are presented in boxes. The full case studies included in Annex 3.

5.1 Policy advancement in the sampled Member States

Overall, the evidence demonstrates that there is a strong variation in the level of policy

advancement in relation to this topic. The cat egorisation of policy advancement relates

to the extent to which the issue of safeguarding is present in the national sport policy

agenda and how far special policies and measures exist to safeguard children in sport.

Other factors taken into consi deration in the categorisation include the existence of

educational and awareness raising campaigns and participation in relevant EU projects.

Based on c onsideration of these factors, levels of policy advancement can be grouped

into three categories, as follows:

 The first category (advanced) includes countries with established comprehensive

legal and policy frameworks coupled with detailed and sophisticated measures in

place to address safeguarding children in sport. In these countries, safeguarding

children in sport has become mainstreamed in the policies and programmes of sport

federations, leading to widespread awareness of the issue and implementation of

good practices at the local level. Specific measures identified include preventive

measures such awareness-raising campaigns and programmes of support for sport

organisations. The scope of the measures al so tends to broad-based, covering both

physical and psychological violence, and cutting across different levels of

intervention – organisational (sport clubs), local, national, as well as targeting

specific individuals working with children or chi ldren themselves who participate in

sport.

 The second category covers countries at an intermediate level of development,

which are generally beginning to mainstream safeguarding issues in sport or are

participating in EU projects tackli ng these issues. Generally for these countries the

mapping review did not reveal many specific measures addressi ng safeguarding

children in sport. Within these countries, regulatory frameworks, national strategies

or action plans provide a general framework for tackling violence against children.

While these may naturally cover violence occurring in sport settings, in this group of

countries there is limited policy advancement in a sport setting. There is potential in

these countries to use their experiences from the pa rticipation in EU projects to roll

out policy solutions.

 Under the last category (limited), the topic has only recent been addressed in

national policies, however there has been some development related to the topic of

safeguarding, such as the country’s participation in Erasmus + funded projects.

The table below summarises the reviewed countries based on their level of policy

advancement in the area of safeguarding children in sport.

29

Table 5.1 Summary of policy advancement relating to safeguarding children in

sport

Country

Size

Summary

Belgium

Mediu

m-

sized

Since 2018, Sport Flanders sets out minimu m requirements

for each sport f ederation in the prevention of interpersonal

violence against -children in sport. The requirements are

included in the Decree on Sport Federations and in the

individual working agreement between the sport ministry

and each sport federati on. The Centre f or Ethics in sport is

funded to support sport federations to implement the

safeguarding policy and organise educational programmes.

In the southern part of Belgium, awareness and initiatives to

safeguard children in sport are more limited. The Walloon

pedagogical project in sport centers, operated by the

Walloon sport administration, follows the Long-term Athlete

Development model. Also, in a triannual plan on prevention

of maltreatment, the Yapaka campaign was launched and

featured in Walloon sport centres.

Bulgaria

Mediu

m-

sized

The 2018-2020 National Strategy on Children Protection is a

comprehensive framework in which safeguardi ng in sport is

also addressed; no speci al policies are in place but different

mechanisms exist to report cases of violence and abuse

against children.

Croatia

Small

Relevant legislative and policy framework is in place to

address safeguarding more generally. Action plan to

implement educational measures to fight against violence in

sport has been adopted.

Cyprus

Small

The Cyprus Sp orts Organisations issued the Code of Ethical

Behaviour in Sport presenting the rules of ethical conduct

based on the principles of "fair play" in 2017; No other

relevant policy and legislative frameworks mentioned.

Estonia

Small

The topic has recently becom e a priority; the ongoi ng

process to reform the National Anti-Doping Agency to

address all sport ethical questions going beyond anti-doping

issues, and including match fixing, violence and safeguarding

children in sport under its jurisdiction.

Finland

Small

Legislative and policy framework put in place, a helpline for

those experienced violence in sport as an example of good

practice; Good information to build on from call for evidence

and literature review.

France

Large

Relevant legislative and policy framework in place; the

Ministry of Sport has a strong role in overseeing different

public campaigns / initiatives and policy guidance; Good

information to build based on literature review (empirical

studies, policy documents) and call for evidence.

Germany

Large

National stakeholders participated i n many research and EU

initiatives; measures related to safeguarding are n ot

centrally controlled due to the country’s federal structure.

Ireland

Small

Relevant legislative and policy framework put in place;

Revised Sport Irelands Code of Ethics and Good Practice for

Children’s Sport will be launched soon.

Italy

Large

Since 2014 the National Olympic Committee has included

child abuse in sport as a priority theme; The Office for Sport

is actively involved in the process of assessment of this topic,

which is part of the ongoing reform of sport policy; Different