ISU Athlete Safeguarding

Research has shown that no sport is exempt from the incidence of harassment and abuse, and no country is exempt.

Everyone involved in the ISU sports has a role to play in making sure they actively safeguard athletes from abuse, harassment and exploitation. The ISU is committed to ensuring that everyone within the jurisdiction of the ISU understands their responsibility to attempt to safeguard athletes and participants while they are participating in ISU Events and activities by abiding by the ISU Code of Ethics and by reporting any concerns about their welfare through the procedures established in the ISU Code of Ethics, Article 7. The ISU Code of Ethics is the governing authority with respect to reporting concerns and complaints and the ISU’s handling of reported concerns and complaints involving alleged abuse and harassment and athlete/child protection issues within the jurisdiction of the ISU. 

The aim of the ISU Athlete Safeguarding Policy is to raise awareness of the existence of abuse and harassment in sport and to promote good practice of providing athletes of all ages with appropriate safety and protection while participating in ISU Events and activities, and further, to raise awareness  that abuse and harassment are prohibited by the ISU Code of Ethics and there are reporting and handling procedures in place in the Code of Ethics for reported incidents of abuse and harassment to the ISU. For incidents reported to the ISU, the ISU will ensure appropriate action is taken upon determination that an individual violated the ISU Code of Ethics. 

It is a further aim of this Athlete Safeguarding Policy to encourage all ISU Members to adopt their own Athlete Safeguarding Policy.

Available resources

Contacts

Additional Information

Defining Harassement and Abuse

In the Code of Ethics, the ISU has adopted the definitions of the various forms of harassment and abuse as set out in the IOC Consensus Statement (2016).

Harassment and abuse can be expressed in (but not necessarily limited to) five categories which may occur in combination or in isolation. These five categories are i) sexual harassment, ii) sexual abuse, iii) physical abuse, iv) psychological abuse, and v) neglect or negligence.

The five categories of harassment and abuse are defined in the ISU Code of Ethics, Article 6.

means unwanted and unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of a sexual nature. Sexual harassment can take the form of sexual abuse.

means any conduct of a sexual nature, whether non-contact, contact or penetrative, where consent is manipulated or is not or cannot be given, where consent is coerced, manipulated, obtained based on a relationship of dependency or cannot be given with any legal validity.

means any deliberate, non-accidental trauma or unwelcome act caused, for example, by punching, beating, kicking, biting, or burning or otherwise physically harming an athlete. Such act can also consist of forced or inappropriate physical activity (e.g. age- or physique-inappropriate training loads when injured or in pain), forced alcohol consumption, or forced or systemic doping practices.

means a pattern of deliberate, prolonged, repeated non-contact behaviors within a power differentiated relationship. “Psychological abuse” can consist of any unwelcome act including confinement, isolation, verbal assault, humiliation, intimidation, infantilization, or any other treatment which may diminish the sense of identity, dignity and self-worth. This form of abuse is at the core of all other forms of abuse.

means the failure of a Coach or another person with a duty of care towards an athlete to provide a minimum level of care, thereby causing harm, allowing harm to be caused or creating an immediate danger of harm. “Neglect or negligence” can consist of acts of omission regarding athlete safety. For example, “neglect or negligence” can include depriving an athlete of food and/or drink; insufficient rest and recovery; failure to provide a safe physical training environment; or developmental age-inappropriate or physique-inappropriate training methods. This definition applies to coaches and athlete entourages.

Reporting Harassment or Abuse

If you have experienced or witnessed, harassment or abuse, you can report it to the ISU. You may use the reporting method that you feel the most comfortable with. Options include:

   - via an email (safeguarding@isu.ch) or phone call (+41 21 613 12 40) to the ISU Safeguarding Officer (Ms. Cristina Ibarra)

   - via an email to the ISU Athletes Commission (athletescommission@isu.ch). The responsible Athletes Commission member is Ms. Nathalie Lindqvist

  - by submitting an incident report form (this can be downloaded or you can use the simplified electronic form below)

   - if the incident takes place at an ISU Event, to the ISU Representative for the ISU Event or the ISU Event Manager

   - by email to the Chair of the ISU Medical Commission, Dr. Jane Moran (medical@isu.ch)

 

If you want to report Doping Misconduct or suspicious behaviour, click here: https://www.reveal.sport/frontpage

If you want to report any unethical behavior, such as Sports Manipulation or anything related to the Code of Ethics, you can report it to the ISU Ombudsperson (Ms. Christine Cardis) via e-mail (ombudsperson@isu.org)

 

The ISU will assess all submitted forms even if not fully completed. However, the more information you provide, the easier it will be for the ISU to decide to investigate further and to pursue the case.

Your report will be treated confidentially.

You should return this Form to the ISU Safeguarding Officer at (safeguarding@isu.ch). You can also use the simplified online Form below:

Report now

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