canada soccer It is the latest national sports organization to sign an agreement to join Abuse-Free Sport, the federal government’s program to prevent and address abuse in sport.
governing body for Football Following a transition period, which will end no earlier than March 1, there will be access to the new Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC), the central focus of abuse-free sport.
Canada Soccer is also adopting the University Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Misbehavior in Sport as a Whole (UCCMS).
Sports Minister Pascal Saint-Onge has given national sports organizations an April deadline to sign up with OSIC, or else risk losing federal funding.
Athletes in several sports, including gymnastics, bobsled and skeleton, have been vocal about abuse in their sports, which St-Onge calls a “safe-sports crisis” in Canada.
Canada Soccer participants who have experienced or witnessed abuse will have access to the organization’s independent third-party services until March 1.
