Dr Kavanagh (Front row, third from right). Image: Photo credit IOC MORATAL Christophe)
Dr Emma Kavanagh, Associate Professor in Sport Psychology and Safe Sport at BU, was part the research team behind the International Olympic Committee’s latest statement on Interpersonal Violence and Safeguarding in Sport.
Published on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, this is the third consensus statement by the IOC, outlining specific interventions for prevention and response. Dr Kavanagh is one of fifteen experts on abuse in sport who was invited to write the consensus statement which will help realise the IOC’s ambition to ensure that all athletes can train and compete in safe environments.
Lead author Professor Yetsa Adebodunde Tuakli-Wosornu, from Stanford University, said: “As a Ghanaian athlete abroad, I saw and still see sport’s duality up close. Though imperfect, sport offers unparalleled promise because it belongs to all of us. Whether playing, coaching or watching, sport connects us. This paper attempts to break a complex issue down to its roots, so readers more readily recognise interpersonal violence in sport is something we can solve together, and addressing it benefits everyone.”
The consensus statement provides five main recommendations that highlight the collective responsibility to eliminate interpersonal violence in sport:
- Address safe sport as everybody’s responsibility
- Recognise that safe sport is for all within the sports ecosystem
- Encourage awareness, adoption and implementation of current scientific knowledge on safeguarding in sport
- Encourage sport that is athlete-centred, emphasising mutual care and respect
- Outreach to unheard voices and integrate global perspectives into safe sport
Dr Emma Kavanagh said, “it was a privilege to be asked to contribute to this consensus and work with the team in its preparation. I want to acknowledge all of the individuals whose experiences have shaped the research behind the consensus and deepened our understanding of the field. There remains a priority, opportunity and collective responsibility to work toward the realisation of safe sport for all.”
Kirsty Burrows, Head of the IOC Safe Sport Unit, said of the consensus statement: “the pinnacle of our leadership in this space, and fundamental to our work looking forwards,” adding: “We convened the leading experts to set the agenda based on what the science tells us – not just ideas we hope will work,”
The statement has been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
