Safeguarding Training Requirements for GBR athletes and supporters

Additional safeguarding training requirements for all athletes in the GBR Pathway, those age 16 and over who are selected to GBR squads and all adults that accompany them to representative events.

The welfare of all participants in fencing is a priority for British Fencing.

Trained Welfare Officers (required for all affiliated clubs and licensed competitions, register can be found here) already play a critical role in creating safe and inclusive environments where people can enjoy fencing.

All our registered coaches (register can be found here) and our staff already undertake mandatory safeguarding training.

However, the responsibility for safeguarding does not sit solely with them, it sits with everyone. There are additional safeguarding risk factors that exist for athletes when they travel and research (multi-sport) indicates that National team level athletes are also more at risk from abuse and harassment. Not just from people in positions of power but also from peers.

Understanding what is abuse and harassment, how to spot it, how to report concerns (both in the UK and internationally) and the role that we can all play in creating safe environments for athletes to compete is an important aspect of any person’s involvement with the GBR pathway.

In consideration of this and following the recommendations of the Whyte Review (the independent report examining allegations of mistreatment in the sport of gymnastics, see link below), BF extended the requirements for mandatory safeguarding training to all of the following:

1. Adults that accompany GBR athletes/teams to events for which a BF selection has taken place, either domestically or internationally. This includes all parents that wish to travel to support internationally at Cadet, Junior and Senior level.
2. Pathway athletes (all coaches and staff are already mandated)
3. Athletes aged 16 and over selected to compete for GBR at EFC and FIE events.

This GBR safeguarding training will be delivered for free through the ADP programme and will be a mixture of learning modules, presentations and on-line discussions. (Timetable here)

If you are a GBR athlete or parent of a GBR athlete not in the ADP and wish to be emailed details of these sessions please contact us through this form here.

We will also accept any of the following courses (all valid for three years), provided certificates are uploaded into the BF membership platform.

• UK Coaching’s Safeguarding and Protecting Children in Sport workshop – BF will accept the online classroom version of this course (England and Wales).

• Child Wellbeing and Protection in Sport Training (Scotland only)

• BF Online Renewal Safeguarding & Protecting Children Course (Fencing Specific) (renewal course, requires prior completion of SPC)

The Whyte Review

Sport England and UK Sport co-commissioned a fully independent review into allegations of abuse in gymnastics.

The Review was led by Anne Whyte QC, and it heard from individual gymnasts, parents, carers or guardians of gymnasts, gymnastics coaches, British Gymnastics staff or former staff and any other organisations and individuals who wanted to provide information.

The Review was published on 16 June 2022 and can be found here:

https://www.whytereview.org/assets/downloads/The-Whyte-Review-Final-Report-of-Anne-Whyte-QC.pdf

Please note: The Review concerns some sensitive and upsetting information. For some, including those who have personal experience of harm or abuse, this may be distressing

Reporting Safeguarding and Welfare Concerns (a reminder)

If you are an adult and you wish to report a concern, click here.

If you are looking for Mental Health Support, click here

If you are U18 and you have experienced or observed any form of harassment or abuse, or any behaviour that has made you feel uncomfortable we encourage you to reach out click here.

If you have experienced or witnessed any form of harassment or abuse whilst competing internationally at FIE competitions, you can also report it direct to the FIE here.

Please note that all concerns can be raised anonymously but this may mean affect our ability to take any action.