(Ottawa, Ontario – May 8, 2019) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) commends AthletesCAN and the University of Toronto for releasing its detailed report on the Prevalence of Maltreatment among Current and Former National Team Athletes, announced yesterday.
The study, which surveyed over 1,000 top Canadian athletes, including 764 current national team athletes and 237 retired athletes, examines all forms of maltreatment including sexual abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, neglect, various types of harassment, bullying and hazing.
“The data from this survey will increase the urgency for Canadian sport to act now on a major issue that has been in sport for too long,” said Paul Melia, CCES President and CEO. “I applaud all the athletes who shared their stories and experiences in the hope of making sport safe for all.”
The report includes a set of recommendations for advancing safe sport in Canada, including the establishment of an independent mechanism to administer complaints of this nature. Focused on athletes’ well-being, the recommendations also include a call to conduct further regular climate surveys to ensure the athletes’ voice continues to be heard. Read the full report.
About the CCES
The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. The CCES acknowledges funding, in part, from the Government of Canada. We are committed to making sport better by working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.