African Union Sports Council marks Safe Sport Day by launching a Safeguarding Working Group

To mark Safe Sport Day on 8 August, the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) has announced the formation of a Safeguarding Working Group. The African Union Sports Council Safeguarding in Sport Working Group is a sub-committee of the Technical Committee on Sports for Development for the African Union Sports Council and the Working Group held its inaugural virtual meeting on July 25.

The purpose of the Working Group is to advise on concrete actions to mainstream safeguarding principles in sports and promote awareness on safeguarding in sport across Africa as enshrined in the AUSC strategic plan which identifies five key priorities, including Strategic Priority 2: Equitable Africa, which focuses on gender equality, inclusion, and safeguarding.

The Working Group for Safeguarding in Sport aims to create a safe and inclusive environment for all participants in sport across Africa. This initiative focuses on developing comprehensive policies and frameworks to prevent abuse, harassment, and exploitation in sports settings.

It is chaired by Mr Allan Williams, a member of the African Union Sports Council’s Technical Committee for Sport for Development. Members include Mr Kingsley Udo (AUSC Region 2), Dr Yetsa Tuakli-Wosornu (AUSC Region 3), Madam Dorcas Amakobe (AUSC Region 4) and Madam Malebo Raditladi-Nkgakile (AUSC Region 5). AUSC Region 5 is still pending the experts’ confirmation.

Mr Allan Williams stated that “We plan to provide education and training for athletes, coaches and officials on safeguarding principles and practices. Additionally, we intend to establish clear reporting and response mechanisms to address incidents of misconduct effectively and to develop policy frameworks for safeguarding. By fostering a culture of respect and safety, the Working Group aims to ensure that sports in Africa are conducted with the highest standards of integrity and care for all individuals involved.”

“We seek to encourage all individuals and organisations involved in sport in Africa to act to prevent harassment, abuse and exploitation and to respond appropriately when cases are reported. We hope to publish advisory information and resources on safeguarding in sport and to implement a Games time safeguarding programme at the 2026 African Youth Games and 2027 African Games, and their associated Regional Games.” 

“We will also collaborate with others to build capacity across the African Union’s fifty-five member states to implement safeguarding policies and raise awareness of all who participate in sport on safeguarding. This will include coordinating an annual advocacy campaign calling on all stakeholders in sport to act to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.”  

Mr. Williams added that they would encourage AU Member States to strengthen legislation to safeguard all in sport and to see National Safeguarding Policies adopted that cover all sports organisations through their Ministry of Sport, National Olympic Committee or National Sports Council. 

“We will also call upon African Universities & Research Institutions to address the scarcity of accessible empirical data on harassment, abuse and exploitation in sport in Africa by conducting research into safeguarding in sport.  In addition, we will ask the African Sports Media to help raise awareness of concerns of harassment, abuse, and exploitation in sport and hold sports organisations in Africa to account to create safe, inclusive and positive sporting environments for all.”

Dr Decius Chipande, Coordinator of the African Union Sports Council stated “We are delighted to have brought together a strong group of African experts in Safeguarding in Sport who are engaged both internationally and across Africa in safeguarding young people in sport from harassment, abuse and exploitation. The working group will help steer our delivery of our second strategic priority of an Equitable Africa on gender equality, safeguarding and inclusion in sport. One of our strategic objectives is to ensure that safeguarding principles are mainstreamed in

sports and awareness on safeguarding is promoted across Africa.  The formation of this working group of leading experts will help us achieve this objective.”

Safe Sport Day is an initiative of the International Advisory Board of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport, a set of standards that aim to ensure that all children have access to safe sport. Safe Sport Day takes place annually on the 8 th of August.

Sports organisations in Africa are encouraged to visit www.safeinsport.org where they can find the 8 safeguards and can take the pledge to embed the safeguards in your work with children. 

For more guidance on safeguarding in sport you can download the AUSC Safeguarding in Sport resource available in the resource section of the African Union Sports Council website.