Note: Single-source report; awaiting corroboration.
At the 7th International Conference of Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport (MINEPS VII), ministers and officials from over 110 countries recognized safety as a key priority in sport and physical education systems. Since then, UNESCO has engaged various stakeholders, including governments, athletes, researchers, and sport organizations, to address violence and safeguarding in sport.
Despite increased awareness, responses across countries remain fragmented and inconsistent. The World Players Association found that 21% of female athletes and 11% of male athletes experienced sexual abuse during childhood within sport settings. Vulnerable groups—such as women, girls, and persons with disabilities—face heightened and intersecting risks.
Many countries lack common definitions, comparable data, and coordinated approaches for prevention, reporting, response, protection, and accountability concerning violence in sport. UNESCO’s preliminary Global Sport Policy Survey results show that while 77% of countries provide safeguarding training, only 18% have systems to collect, analyze, and report criminal or judicial data on violence in sport.