Safeguarding at Scale for a Major International Sporting Event

Bespoke safeguarding training designed to protect athletes and participants before, during, and after competition.

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Overview

Safe Sport International (SSI) was commissioned to design and deliver a bespoke safeguarding training programme for a major international multi-sport event, operating under strict confidentiality. The organiser required specialist safeguarding expertise to ensure athletes, officials, safeguarding officers, and key stakeholders were equipped to identify, assess, and respond to safeguarding concerns within a complex, high-profile event environment.

SSI’s role focused on strengthening safeguarding capability before, during, and after the event, while supporting the organiser’s wider safeguarding framework and legacy objectives.

Challenges

The event presented a number of safeguarding challenges typical of large-scale international competitions:

  • A temporary and diverse event workforce, including staff, volunteers, and officials

  • Participants from multiple countries, cultures, and safeguarding systems

  • Increased safeguarding risk due to power imbalances, travel, accommodation, and competition pressures

  • Limited timeframes for training delivery prior to the event

  • The need for consistent safeguarding responses across venues and roles

These factors required a targeted, practical safeguarding training approach aligned to international best practice and event-specific risks.

Objectives

The event organiser engaged SSI to:

 

  1. Design and deliver event-specific safeguarding training for key participant groups

  2. Improve confidence in recognising and responding to safeguarding concerns

  3. Support safeguarding readiness before, during, and after the event

  4. Develop sustainable training resources with a wider reach beyond live delivery

  5. Strengthen overall safeguarding assurance for stakeholders and partners

Our approach

SSI designed a safeguarding training package specific to the event context, addressing:

 

  • Event-related safeguarding risks

  • Roles and responsibilities of athletes, safeguarding officers, and stakeholders

  • Clear reporting and escalation pathways

  • Practical decision-making in time-pressured environments

SSI delivered targeted training sessions to:

  • Safeguarding officers and designated leads

  • Athletes and athlete representatives

  • Key operational and stakeholder groups

 

Training focused on building practical skills in identifying, assessing, and managing safeguarding concerns across different event phases.

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To extend reach and ensure accessibility, SSI supported the development of an online safeguarding training module, enabling:

  • Consistent messaging across the event workforce

  • Flexible access for those unable to attend live sessions

  • Ongoing safeguarding learning beyond the event period

Training content was structured to support safeguarding:

  • Before the event: preparation, awareness, and risk reduction

  • During the event: recognition, reporting, and response

  • After the event: follow-up, reporting, and learning

Outcomes

The safeguarding training programme delivered:

  • Improved safeguarding awareness and confidence among participants

  • Increased capability to identify and respond to safeguarding concerns

  • Clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, and reporting pathways

  • Expanded access to safeguarding education through online learning

  • Strong safeguarding assurance for event organisers and partners

The training contributed to the safe delivery of the event and supported longer-term safeguarding capability within the organising body.

Key stats

Conclusion

This case study demonstrates SSI’s expertise in delivering high-impact safeguarding training for complex international sporting events, where time, scale, and risk demand specialist knowledge and practical solutions.

By combining bespoke live training with scalable digital learning, SSI supported the organiser to strengthen safeguarding readiness, protect participants, and embed safeguarding as a core component of event delivery and legacy planning.

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