Violence

Violence in sport can be defined as behaviour that causes harm, occurs outside of the rules of the sport and is unrelated to the competitive objectives of the sport.

There is a heightened awareness, increased media attention and public concern being expressed around the perceived increase in both the frequency and seriousness of violence in sport. Increased violence in sport can cause serious harm to athletes of all ages and drive some out of sport for good.

If we are to radically reduce violence in sport, we need to establish appropriate limits on what is acceptable behaviour in sport – limits that reflect Canadian values.

The CCES continues to discern the nature and extent of violence in Canadian sport and work with partners to develop strategies to reduce its incidence. 

Melia's Take: Violence

I'm Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. I’m also a parent, coach, sports fan and player. This blog is written from all those perspectives…

The Blind Side

August 15, 2014Close up view of hockey stick and puck

A recent court decision involving an incident in a senior men’s recreational hockey League in Ottawa caught my attention. The incident involved two players who collided behind the net in this non-contact league. One player was knocked unconscious by the hit, sustaining physical injuries and as a...Read more

Vigilante Justice

December 16, 2013Shinny on the pond at twighlight

We witnessed again, on December 7th , an example of NHL style vigilante justice, meted out by Boston tough guy Shawn Thornton in response to a borderline body check to his teammate. In the first period of the game between the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins, Shawn Thornton attacked Brooks...Read more

See Also...

Protecting Children From Violence in Sport

(July 2010) the UNICEF Innocenti Research Centre commissioned a review of the available empirical research and policy initiatives on the subject of protecting children from violence in sport. The report defines the many aspects of the issue, provides examples of both good and poor practice, and...

Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Programs

The Red Cross' RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention offers educational options for a range of ages to help protect children and youth from child abuse and neglect. Adults can learn how to help children and youth, and how to make their school, organization or community a safer environment...