Safe Sport
What is Safe Sport?
Safe sport refers to an environment that prioritizes the physical and psychological well-being of all participants. It involves a commitment to providing optimal experiences, while actively preventing and addressing all forms of maltreatment, including abuse, harassment, neglect, and discrimination.
Advancing safe sport is a shared responsibility that requires enhanced awareness, education, and clear actions for reporting. This page provides the resources and guidance to help advance safe sport in Manitoba.
Sport Manitoba Safe Sport webpage
The Protecting Youth in Sport Act
In accordance with The Protecting Youth in Sports Act, Sport Manitoba provides access to an Independent Third Party for participants to report any complaints of maltreatment in sport. This service is available only to participants involved in sport organizations recognized by Sport Manitoba. Sport Manitoba also offers safe sport policies and educational resources to help promote a safe environment for all.
The Protecting Youth in Sport Act
Safe Sport Policy Manual
In accordance with The Protecting Youth in Sports Act, all Provincial Sport Organizations are mandated to formally adopt a new Safe Sport Policy Manual, which includes the following safe sport policies:
- Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy
- Discipline and Complaints Policy
- Alternate Dispute Resolution Policy
- Appeal Policy
- Respect in Sport Policy
- Coach Screening Policy Minimum Requirements
These policies outline critical information for all stakeholders including, but not limited to, behaviour expectations for participants, procedures for handling maltreatment complaints, disciplinary measures that can be imposed if someone is found to have engaged in maltreatment, and coach education and screening requirements.
These policies also apply to each PSOs’ sanctioned clubs, teams, programs, and individuals operating under the organization’s authority.
Reporting Maltreatment
Maltreatment is an umbrella term that refers to any deliberate act, or failure to act, that results in harm or has the potential to result in harm. It includes:
- Actions that cause harm
- Actions that did not cause in harm, but had the potential to
- Inactions that cause harm
- Inactions that did not cause harm, but had the potential to
Maltreatment can be intentional or unintentional and is determined by a behaviour viewed objectively, not whether harm results from the behaviour.
Information on Reporting a Maltreatment Complaint
Sport Manitoba is committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive sport environment for all participants. To support this commitment, participants may access an Independent Third Party (ITP) service to report concerns or complaints of maltreatment in sport. The ITP is an external service provider that receives and manages complaints in a fair, neutral, and impartial manner. This service provides a confidential, unbiased avenue to ensure all reports are taken seriously and reviewed fairly.
- Guide for Maltreatment Complainants
- Guide for Maltreatment Respondents
- Maltreatment Complainant Flowchart
- Filing a Maltreatment Complaint (Video)
Report a Maltreatment Complaint
Safe Sport Tips for Athletes
Sport Manitoba’s age-specific safe sport tips for athletes provides critical guidance for maintaining respectful boundaries and ensuring athlete safety in various sport settings. Three separate guidelines have been developed for athletes of different age groups: 8 and under, 9–12, and 13 and older.
Safe Sport Handbook for Parents
In accordance with The Protecting Youth in Sports Act, Sport Manitoba has prepared educational information for parents of young athletes, in the form of a handbook. The handbook covers essential topics such as:
- Behaviour expectations for young athletes
- Behaviour expectations for parents
- Types of maltreatment
- Possible indicators that a child experienced maltreatment
- What to do if a child experienced maltreatment
Knowing how to behave and how to recognize and respond to inappropriate conduct is an important part of being a parent.
Safe Sport Handbook for Parents
Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders
Convenient online certification for coaches and sport leaders.
Safe Sport Line
Call the Safe Sport confidential help line at 1-833-656-SAFE (7233) or email help@safesportline.ca if you’re experiencing or witnessing any misconduct/maltreatment in sport, including bullying, harassment, hazing, or abuse. Sport participants have the right to experience a safe and welcoming sport environment.
