Safe Sport

Special Olympics BC recognizes our responsibility to prioritize creating a safe sport environment free of abuse, harassment, or discrimination for all participants, including athletes, coaches, volunteers, officials, and administrators

As part of Special Olympics BC's commitment to Safe Sport, our staff and leadership have completed safe sport training.

Please read on to find more resources.

Bullying & Harrassment

Please click here to find Special Olympics BC's anti-bullying resources for athletes, coaches, and volunteers.

Canadian Safe Sport Helpline

Are you a victim or witness of harassment, abuse, or discrimination in sport? Contact the Canadian Sport Helpline to share your concerns and be referred to the appropriate resources. Thanks to financial support from the Government of Canada, the Canadian Sport Helpline is a service that is free and accessible to all in both official languages.

Open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (ET) 7 days a week, it is anonymous, confidential, and independent.

CALL 1-888-83SPORT (77678)
EMAIL INFO@ABUSE-FREE-SPORT.CA

Special Olympics Safe Sport Policies

Special Olympics Canada and its Chapters recognize the recent development of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport. We are developing a pan-Canadian suite of policies in partnership with the Sport Law and Strategy Group.

Current policies

Policies in development

Whistleblower Policy; Abuse Policy; Investigations Policy; Event Discipline Procedure; Social Media Policy

viaSport British Columbia Resources

Please click here to find more resources for addressing and reporting harm, as well as injury prevention and concussions.

viaSport Safe Sport homepage

Responsible Coaching Movement

Responsible coaching allows you to support your participants’ right to a safe, positive environment. Here are some ways to protect your athletes and yourself both on and off the field of play.

CAC Responsible Coaching Movement homepage

Rule of Two

What is the Rule of Two?

The goal of the Rule of Two is to ensure all interactions and communications are open, observable, and justifiable. Its purpose is to protect participants (especially minors) and coaches in potentially vulnerable situations by ensuring more than one adult is present. There may be exceptions in emergency situations. Please click here for more information and resources from the Coaching Association of Canada.

CAC Rule of Two infographic

How can I apply the Rule of Two in a virtual setting?

CAC Rule of Two in a virtual setting infographic

Concussion Resources

Special Olympics Canada recognizes that participation in any sport or physical activity has some risk of head injuries, including concussions. The information on this page will help you learn more about concussions and how Special Olympics Canada and its Chapters are addressing concussions to support the health and safety of all our athletes and volunteers.

Concussion Awareness Resources

A concussion is a type of brain injury that affects how a person’s brain functions. Special Olympics Canada suggests the resources below to learn more about concussions and how to prevent, recognize and manage these injuries.