BC Athletics and Athletics Canada announced an initiative to help provide a better, safer sports experience to protect athletes.
BC Athletics, the governing body for the province of British Columbia will use a new complaints and discipline policy, administered by Athletics Canada’s Commissioner’s Office. Athletics Canada is the national governing body.
BC Athletics and Athletics Canada today announced a new initiative to help provide a better, safer sport experience and to protect those who participate in the sport.
— Athletics Canada (@AthleticsCanada) September 10, 2024
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From the Athletics Canada media released: “BC Athletics is pleased to announce the partnership with the Athletics Canada Office of the Commissioner to support the organization, its members and other stakeholders in upholding our Safe Sport / Abuse Free Sport values,” said BC Athletics CEO Megann VanderVliet. “This partnership will provide all stakeholders associated with BC Athletics an independent, third-party mechanism to submit any concerns or complaints as it relates to violation of the BC Athletics Code of Ethics and Conduct.”
“Whether you are an athlete, a coach, an official, a volunteer, or anyone else participating in our sport, everyone has the right to participate in a safe and inclusive training and competitive environment that is free of abuse, harassment, or discrimination,” said Athletics Canada’s CEO Mathieu Gentès. “Athletics Canada’s independent Commissioner’s Office is one important way we can ensure the safety of all in our sport. With this agreement, we are now able to extend this protection to all members of BC Athletics.”
About Athletics Canada’s Commissioner’s Office
The Athletics Canada Commissioner’s Office was the first office in a National Sports Organization (NSO) dedicated to resolving complaints within the NSO as an independent office. The Athletics Canada Commissioners are not employees of Athletics Canada. They have been selected by Athletics Canada to act as independent officers whose sole function relates to complaints resolution.
There can be between one and three Athletics Canada Commissioners. They are selected based on their knowledge of sport, experience in law or dispute resolution, and sport-specific dispute resolution, mediation, or arbitration, as well as geographic, gender, and language balance considerations.
“The Commissioners are independent and empowered to use any tools at their disposal to work with the parties towards a resolution,” Gentès said. “They have a great deal of discretion in the way they conduct an appeal, or complaint review and resolution process.”
Athletics Canada now has three provincial bodies working under the initiative, BC Athletics, Athletics Alberta and Athletics Ontario.
BC Athletics’ Safe Sport Journey
BC Athletics has a fundamental obligation and responsibility to promote the health, safety, and physical and mental well-being of every individual involved in the sport of Athletics in British Columbia. The organization’s new agreement with Athletics Canada’s Commissioner’s Office is the latest demonstration of how seriously they take that responsibility.
“Upholding safe sport and abuse free sport values are the responsibility of everyone who engages in sport and BC Athletics is committed to investing in education, policy development and providing an independent and fair process when complaints and violations of our Code of Ethics and Conduct arise. This partnership will benefit all stakeholders in the sport of Athletics in British Columbia. BC Athletics thanks Athletics Canada and the Office of the Commissioner in supporting this partnership,” said VanderVliet.
Reporting a Complaint
BC Athletics has also recently published revised Safe Sport Policies, including the process for submitting a complaint to the Office of the Commissioner, which can be found on the BC Athletics website.
“The objective and priority of this partnership will be to ensure that any concerns or complaints will be adjudicated in a fair, unbiased, professional, and timely manner. Where it will remove the burden from any volunteer disciplinary panel, who may not have the resources to adjudicate complaints or concerns,” VanderVliet said.
