Part 7: Officials and Safe Sport

Part 7 of this reader contains two chapters written by two academic experts from Ontario Tech University, who both offer insight into the challenges faced by officials in sport and the ways in which officials can help make sport safer for all. Lori Livingston, PhD, teaches in the Faculty of Health Sciences and is also Provost and Vice-President Academic, and Susan Forbes, PhD, manages the Teaching & Learning Centre. Chapter 15 focuses on the purpose of rules and their role in creating safe playing environments. Chapter 16 outlines the role of officials as essentials parts of the sport ecosystem, how officials have been historically maltreated by spectators, coaches and athletes, and some key concepts and strategies that can be used to counter these issues.