EuroHockey Institute Coordinator Cameron Findler graduated from the IOC Safeguarding Officer in Sport Certificate at a ceremony last week at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne.

The year-long course began with a focus on understanding the threat of interpersonal violence in the unique context of sport as well as the key building blocks to prevent it.

Also covered were the international human rights conventions, statutory and sport legal and policy frameworks. Later students discussed how to develop an organisational safeguarding policy, procedures, and structures for responding to safeguarding concerns.

The final sections looked at the role of a safeguarding officer and how to safeguard at major sports events (MSEs). Throughout the course, participants were assessed through formal assignments, culminating in a final examination.  

 Inspiration to learn more about safeguarding in sport came following a speech given at the 2023 EuroHockey Institute Executive Leadership Forum by Expert Consultant to the IOC Safe Sport Unit, Tine Vertommen.

Participants there, decision-makers from EuroHockey member national associations, were challenged on how we can do better in safeguarding the participants of our sport.

 The knowledge gained will be applied across EuroHockey, ensuring as an organisation we are pushing the standards and, alongside the FIH, ensuring that we can make hockey a ‘safe sport’ for all its participants across Europe and beyond.

 More concretely, in his position as EuroHockey Institute Coordinator, Cameron hopes to integrate safeguarding education into the EuroHockey Institute programmes.

He said of the course: “a thank you goes out to the IOC for their continued commitment to safeguarding, as well as to the programme directors and academic advisory board who ensure the course maintains its high standards”.

** EuroHockey Institute Coordinator Cameron Findler receiving his certificate in Lausanne last week. Picture: