Safe Sport
The Canadian Olympic Committee and the Canadian Olympic Foundation (the “COC”) stand for safe sport that is free of maltreatment of any kind. We all play a role in creating a healthy culture that fosters safe sport practice and offers athletes, coaches and all members of the sport community strong resources in education and reporting.
The presence of maltreatment in sport requires a concerted and systemic effort by a variety of different organizations and governments to come together and identify solutions and clearly define roles and responsibilities. The COC is committed to using its unique role in the sport system in Canada and its network, resources and capacity to do its part to ensure that safe sport is the standard. The health and safety of all who play or work for Team Canada will always remain top priority.
In line with this commitment, the COC has formally adopted the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) and the Canadian Safe Sport Program Rules (CSSP Rules).
The UCCMS sets out our expectations for conduct and behaviour to advance a respectful sport culture that delivers quality, inclusive, accessible, welcoming and safe sport experiences. The UCCMS generally applies to all participants involved in COC activities including but not limited to all events over which the COC has jurisdiction such as the Olympic Games, the Pan American Games, Youth Olympic Games and Junior Pan American Games as well as all other events and activities organized or hosted by the COC.
Through the CSSP Rules, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) independently administers the UCCMS for federally funded, national-level sport organizations by receiving and responding to reports of prohibited behaviour, and by developing policies and carrying out education prevention activities. The CSSP Rules clearly and publicly set out how reports will be handled, including defined timelines at each stage of the reporting process. The CSSP also offers support services to connect participants with help along the way.
For more information about the CSSP and the UCCMS, click here.
In addition to the UCCMS and CSSP, the COC has also adopted several other policies that reflect and support the UCCMS and CSSP. These policies can be found here: https://olympic.ca/canadian-olympic-committee/governance/policies/
Filing a Complaint Regarding COC Participants
We expect that any individual involved in COC activities and all those involved in the Olympic Movement in Canada, conduct themselves with integrity and to the highest standards of conduct, in accordance with the COC and Olympic values, as well as the UCCMS.
Pursuant to the UCCMS, participants must report any actual or suspected cases of maltreatment to the CCES by following the process laid out on the CCES’s reporting website: https://cces.ca/report-safe-sport. By reporting concerns of maltreatment in sport, individuals are contributing to building a safer sport environment for all.
CCES is responsible for administering the UCCMS and CSSP in a manner that is trauma-informed, treats individuals with compassion, dignity and respect and meets the requirements of procedural fairness.
Alternatively, individuals can also report a concern in accordance with the COC’s Whistleblowing Policy. Please note that reports of Maltreatment made in accordance with the COC’s Whistleblowing Policy may be redirected to CCES, in accordance with the COC’s Duty to Report obligation under the UCCMS.
Get help and information
You can contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP.
How To File a Complaint Regarding NSOs
Each National Sport Organization has its own complaint procedures. We encourage you to visit the individual NSO’s website for their respective policies and procedures.
Alternatively, you can contact the CCES by following the process laid out on the CCES’s reporting website: https://cces.ca/report-safe-sport.
CCES can provide individuals with advice on the next steps they can take, as well as direct them to the most appropriate national and local services and resources available to them, including the police, child protection services, existing provincial/territorial helplines, or any other relevant services.
Awareness raising and Education
Awareness raising and education are key to ensuring that all COC Participants are aware of the rules around the UCCMS and CSSP and that they know when to identify Maltreatment and how to report it. As such, COC Participants must complete the Safe Sport 2025 course offered by the CCES which covers the UCCMS and CSSP Rules. They must also sign a consent form at the end of the course stating that they understand that they’re subject to the rules. When necessary, COC will distribute an e-learning invitation for the Safe Sport 2025 Course that includes a link to sign up, instructions, and a code to access the course from the CCES online education portal.
If you have questions about your education requirements, please email education@cces.ca
Resources
Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS)