When children speak up, sport must listen and act
At the Council of Europe’s sports conference in Monaco, Play the Game called for an independent international entity to protect children and other whistleblowers
"Some sports organisations and public authorities fear opening a Pandora’s box when children speak up,” said Stanis Elsborg, head of Play the Game, at the 19th Council of Europe Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport in Monaco. “But fear of what children may reveal must never prevent institutions from listening and acting."
Speaking at the conference, whose theme was “Safer and Healthier Sport for All Children,” Elsborg called for stronger protection for children and anyone else who reports wrongdoing in sport.
He urged the establishment of ClearingSport, an independent international entity to address abuse and other integrity breaches through stronger investigations and whistleblower protection, building on the work of existing authorities and integrity initiatives.
Here’s the full text of his speech:
Dear Ministers and dear colleagues,
On behalf of Play the Game, I thank the Council of Europe and our hosts in Monaco for bringing us together to advance children’s safety and well-being in sport.
We welcome the background document’s emphasis on children’s rights and its recognition that power imbalances and poor governance put children at risk. Its questions about trusted reporting and independent responses are particularly important.
For almost 30 years, Play the Game has provided a platform for people who exposed serious wrongdoing in sport and faced threats to their reputation, careers, livelihoods and sometimes their physical safety.
Abuse has been exposed in sport across the United States, Japan, Germany, Great Britain, Belgium, France and the Netherlands, and other countries. From the Larry Nassar case to the findings of the Whyte Review, we see recurring failures: ignored warnings, fear of retaliation and institutions failing to protect children.
The human cost of sport’s failed self-regulation is devastating. Children and young athletes, parents and coaches must be able to speak up safely and have their concerns taken seriously.
We therefore encourage member states to establish or strengthen independent national safeguarding and whistleblower units, with secure funding, specialist expertise and clear responsibilities. Their decisions must be free from interference by the organisations whose conduct they examine.
Independent units must provide trauma-informed support, legal and psychological assistance, and protection against retaliation. Reports must lead to fair investigations and appropriate action by the responsible authorities.
Governments can reinforce these protections through public funding, with enforceable conditions: cooperation with independent investigations, protection for those who speak up, and consequences for retaliation or cover-ups.
The autonomy of sport must never be a shield against accountability.
Safeguarding concerns can cross borders. Play the Game has therefore proposed ClearingSport: an independent international entity to address abuse and other integrity breaches through stronger investigations and whistleblower protection, building on the work of existing authorities and integrity initiatives.
We invite governments and the Council of Europe to study and be inspired by this proposal, developed with input from over 200 experts.
Meanwhile, national action must move forward now.
Some sports organisations and public authorities fear opening a Pandora’s box when children speak up.
But fear of what children may reveal must never prevent institutions from listening and acting.
Thank you.
