Part 2: An Athlete View of Safe Sport in Canada
Understanding safe sport from an athlete’s perspective is vital as we continue working through safe sport issues in Canada. In Part 2, this perspective takes center stage, emphasizing the need for athlete-driven policies that foster safer environments and prevent harm before it occurs.
In Chapter 2, Erin Willson and Georgina Truman, experts from AthletesCAN, which is the independent association of Canada’s national team athletes, highlight the different forms of maltreatment that athletes experience. They identify the many ways in which athletes have influenced the Canadian safe sport system, especially in recent years. They also explain the athlete-centred approach to safe sport, and its importance in minimizing maltreatment within sport.
In Chapter 3, a new chapter in the 2nd edition, Eric MacIntosh, PhD, and Alison Doherty, PhD, continue the athlete-centred approach to safe sport, examining the normalization of harm in Canadian high performance sport. They critique existing safe sport initiatives as reactive and propose athlete-driven solutions, including stronger accountability, independent reporting, and interactive education. They conclude by calling for immediate action, urging the sport system to adopt athletes’ recommendations to create a safer and more supportive environment.
