Harassment and discrimination
Every participant in sport, regardless of the role, has a right to be treated with respect, dignity and fairness, and to participate in an environment that is enjoyable and safe. Harassment, abuse and other forms of inappropriate behaviour in sport deny participants these rights.
The Australian Sports Commission's harassment-free sport (HFS) strategy assists the sports industry address discrimination, abuse and other inappropriate behaviours by helping sports to create safe, respectful and harassment-free sport environments.
The Australian Sports Commission began developing the HFS strategy in 1996 in response to increased litigation in relation to discrimination, harassment and abuse in sport; increased media attention given to the issue; growing concerns that sport may not be aware of and/or meeting its legal and ethical obligations and Government legislation.
The strategy is constantly evolving in response to new or amended government legislation and requirements, insurance requirements, community expectations and issues raised by sporting organisations.
The strategy consists of:
- education - training courses and workshops
- member protection and child protection information
- policies and resources
- a mandatory requirement for national sporting organisations funded by the Australian Government to develop and implement a policy that addresses harassment, discrimination and child abuse (see policy and resources section)
- information and free online training modules on harassment and discrimination from the Play by the Rules website
- summaries and links to research on harassment and discrimination.
