SAFEGUARDING in sports is now the popular term which is being used to sensitise everyone involved in the profession — not just the vulnerable, but those who wittingly or unwittingly harm others physically, mentally, sexually or otherwise.

“Abuse in sports is no different from general abuse,” G C Foster College of Physical Education and Sports Acting Principal Peter Beckford said in his presentation. “Placing too much emphasis on winning causes the development of negative attitudes in the coach. The raised voice, the tone, the body language and yelling are examples of this attitude. We have to be cognisant of what we do, because in trying to motivate and develop these athletes we may actually demotivate and destroy them.”

Beckford was one of several speakers at a seminar hosted by the Sports Development Foundation and the Ministry of Sport, supported by the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation. There were speakers from CISOCA, UNICEF and others, who elaborated on Data Protection in Sports, Mental Abuse, Physical Abuse, and the Conversations for Greatness. Psychologist, Dr Joan Spencer-Ernandez spoke on the effects of physical abuse; there was also an address by Sport Minister Olivia Grange.

Safeguarding in sports is the proactive commitment and systematic process of protecting all participants — especially children, young people, and adults at risk — from harm, abuse, neglect, and exploitation within the sporting environment.

It encompasses far more than just reacting to incidents; it involves creating a culture of safety, respect, and well-being through robust policies, comprehensive training, clear reporting procedures, and vigilant recruitment practices. By prioritising safeguarding, sports organisations fulfil their fundamental duty of care, ensuring that athletic participation remains a positive, empowering, and secure experience for everyone involved, thereby upholding the integrity and trust essential to the sporting community.

“The power dynamics between coach and athletes sometimes leads to controlling behaviours which is similar to emotional abuse,” Beckford said. “It’s my way or the highway [is the attitude]. This creates an unhealthy environment where the athletes feel ridiculed, isolated and rejected. This builds self-doubt and pessimism. This fosters depression, which leads to anxiety, stress and even suicidal thoughts.”

Beckford said that coaches should be properly remunerated and put in a position where their jobs are not dependent on the next performance.

“Job security leads to positivity between the athletes and coaches,” he said. “The fact is, we all abuse our athletes at some time or the other without even realising. We must be the coach that we want to play for.”

UNICEF Education Specialist Dr Rebecca Tortello said some of these coaches are sometimes the only stable adult in the young athlete’s life. She informed that one in seven children is exposed to violence in our society.

“UNICEF uses sports to combat abuse of our youth,” she said. “That stable role model is sometimes the antidote for the mental and physical abuse and the toxic stress that these kids suffer.”

Celia Alleyne-Ebanks, programmes manager of the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation, spoke on motivation in Conversations for Greatness. This is a programme of the foundation that aims to empower individuals through self-discovery, helping them envision their lives with clarity, live authentically, navigate challenges, and achieve desired outcomes. They’ve implemented this in schools to empower staff.

Attorney-at-law Chukwuemeka Cameron spoke on the importance of securing personal data that is collected from athletes by administrators. He says personal data is important and extremely valuable, and how it is collected and stored says a lot about the professionalism of an organisation. He warned that this data is protected by law (The Data Protection Act) and it should never be allowed to get into the hands of third parties. Cameron says the misuse of this data is illegal, and athletes are able to seek recourse from the offending organisation.

“If you are collecting an athlete’s data, you must tell them,” he said. “That data must be safely locked away. Don’t collect more data than you actually need. When you protect your athlete’s data you are saying that you value and respect them.”

Inspector of Police Cherise Johnson reminded coaches and administrators that they should be looking out for signs of sexual abuse among their young charges. She reiterated that the sexual harassment law is active in Jamaica and that persons can be charged for different activities that may be deemed innocuous. She also touched on the topic of rape; stressing that no means no, and that this should be adhered to at all times.

“Sex with a minor is against the law and, if proven, you could easily go to prison,” she warned. “Sexual touching of a child under the age of 16 could put you in jail for 10 years.”

She also warned that the making and distribution of sexual content with minors is a grave concern and one which could land adults in prison, both locally and internationally.

The seminar was attended by over 100 administrators and coaches from various sporting organisations.