In the coming years, sports associations will have to take more action against misconduct and ensure a safe (top) sports climate.
The sports umbrella organization NOC*NSF will link the funding of a federation’s elite sport plans to the creation of an integrity plan, in which federations must clarify how they ensure an optimal elite sport environment where the position of everyone (athletes, coaches) is respected.
“It’s important for elite sports programs in the Netherlands to get the basics right,” says André Cats, who succeeded Maurits Hendriks as Technical Director of the NOC*NSF in April. “To put this foundation in order, we will make a number of instruments mandatory.”
Under Hendriks, the Netherlands grew into a top ten player in the world when it comes to winning Olympic medals. In addition, Dutch elite sport has had to deal with an explosion of reports of illegal behavior over the past two years.
After revelations about major abuses in the world of gymnastics in the summer of 2020, abuses in women’s football, ice hockey, triathlon and most recently in athletics also came to light.
Reports of cross-border behavior set alarm bells ringing at Papendal National Training Centre, where the NOC*NSF’s main residence delved deeply into apologies for victims of past gymnastics excesses. “Creating a good foundation involves linking the financing of elite sport to integrity plans. We will take the first step in this direction next year,” Cats points out.
The new top sports boss in the Netherlands believes that the ambition to be among the ten best sports nations in the world can go hand in hand with a secure sports climate. Many of the discussions at NOC*NSF offices and elsewhere with unions revolve around a safe sporting climate.
“We’re still talking about what can be improved, how we’re going to excel, how we’re working towards a tournament, but also how we’re going to be respectful of each other in a situation where we all feel safe. ten years ago.”
The numbers are alarming too. The number of reports and files on illegal behavior at Centrum Veilige Sport Nederland (CVSN) is steadily increasing. The number of files (notifications on which action has been taken) at the Agency is expected to exceed 1,000 in 2022. In 2021 there were 873, of which around three quarters can be attributed to popular sport.
According to Cats, we are not dealing with a new topic. “That was also an issue during my first coaching course 36 years ago. We may have used different words then, not integrity or safety, but respect and communication. What is new, and I find that positive, is that athletes and coaches are aware of this. I see it as a positive that we are now holding each other accountable, sometimes in a painful way, sometimes with a confrontational investigation.”
Cats, who will only change a few accents on the line used under Hendriks, believes that results and performance are not in conflict with a safe sporting climate. “If you want to be the best of 8 billion people, you have to remember that it’s no picnic. That you encounter bumps, that you have to have confrontational conversations. It can and should always be done in a respectful, humane way.”
Cats: “In a top-level sports program, some things have to be right. A very simple one is: Every trainer, and this also applies to mass sport, must have a VOG (declaration of conduct). Also a good evaluation, annually after a World Cup with the athletes. With some explicit questions. do you feel respected How’s the team spirit?”
According to Cats, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for a safe sports climate. Different sports federations have already started to work on it in different ways. “It’s a range of things. How do we treat each other? You don’t organize behavior, you do that. Have a daily conversation with each other.”
“When we work with unions and have funding from NOC*NSF and the Department of Health, Welfare and Sport, it’s also normal that we say: we want the foundation to be in order. If not, it will be very difficult to work together,” with consequences. Integrity will play a more prominent role.”
Source:NOS
I’m Maxine Reitz, a journalist and news writer at 24 Instant News. I specialize in health-related topics and have written hundreds of articles on the subject. My work has been featured in leading publications such as The New York Times, The Guardian, and Healthline. As an experienced professional in the industry, I have consistently demonstrated an ability to develop compelling stories that engage readers.
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