Book Title: Safe Sport: Critical issues and practices

In this resource, athletes are the main priority. This edited book applies various perspectives to address the harassment and abuse of athletes, and the lack of administrative action in these instances which have been highlighted in recent cases in the media and the courts. Most importantly, the chapters acknowledge that the long-term negative ramifications of a failure to ensure safe sport for athletes at all levels of the Canadian sport system is a significant issue that requires discussion and action. Moving forward, sport leaders must make decisions to ensure the athlete is top-of-mind.

This edited book also offers a summary of where we currently stand in this safe sport movement, and an important perspective on what steps need to be taken next to put the words of the Universal Code of Conduct to Address and Prevent Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) into action. This resource offers ways to counter current challenges of the existing sport structure, to commit to safe sport values, and to enact these values through policies and programs. One resounding theme the authors have communicated in their own unique way is that safe sport requires effort from a variety of stakeholders at every level of the sports system. In other words, the safe sport movement requires support from coaches, sport officials, administrators and governing bodies, volunteers, athletes and participants, health professionals in Integrated Support Teams (ISTs), the legal system, parents and guardians, and more. Together, we can make safe sport possible.