COB launches the Abuse and Harassment Out of Play course for Youth

The Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) launched this Tuesday, the 23rd, the Abuse and Harassment Out of Play course, a young version of the Prevention and Confrontation of Harassment and Abuse in Sports Course for athletes from 12 to 17 years old, from initiation to high performance. The course, developed by the Brazilian Olympic Institute (IOB), the COB's education branch, aims to broaden the topic's dissemination, making the entire sports community aware of its importance, besides showing how it can manifest itself in the sports environment and informing about prevention actions, report channels, confrontation, and victim support. Registration is free and open at https://jovensatletasiob.asdnet.com.br/index.php.

"COB has the athlete as the center of its actions and always seeks to provide all possible support so that they can focus on training, competing, and representing Brazil in a healthy and safe way", says COB president, Paulo Wanderley.

The launching, which took place on Tuesday night, the 23rd, at Team Brazil's YouTube channel, gathered in a live broadcast hosted by journalist Juliana Yamaoka, the master in sexual education and consultant in projects against sexual violence, Caroline Arcari, the Team Brazil's psychologist, Alessandra Dutra, the Minas Tênis Clube's Sports manager and Olympic swimming athlete, Rogério Romero, and COB's general director and Olympic judo champion, Rogério Sampaio. The debate is available on the digital platform.

"Implementing general safety principles in sport should be everyone's goal. Actions aimed at preventing harassment and abuse should promote a safe, welcoming, and respectful environment for everyone. We move forward in this process of bringing information and knowledge so that athletes can have a safe, healthy, and enjoyable environment. The best path to safety in sport is knowledge", says Rogério Sampaio, COB general director and judo Olympic champion.

The Abuse and Harassment Out of Play course for youth is free of charge and delivered via distance learning (DL) with video lessons, theoretical content, reflections, objective assessments, and access to supporting documents. It is organized into three main themes: Learning about Abuse and Harassment, Recognizing the Signs, and Seeking Help.

Prevention and Confrontation of Harassment and Abuse in Sports

In March 2020, the COB launched the Prevention and Confrontation of Harassment and Abuse in Sport (PEAAE) Course for adults, which has already trained more than 8,000 athletes, coaches, members of a sports organization, and all agents involved in Olympic sport.

Inspired by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Safeguarding Athletes from Harassment and Abuse course, by the COB's Policy of Prevention and Confrontation of Moral and Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse, and by the work of the United Nations, it will be offered from now on in two versions: adult, for athletes, coaches, members of a sports organization, and all agents involved in Olympic sport, and young, for athletes aged 12 to 17.

When the Prevention and Confrontation of Moral and Sexual Harassment and Sexual Abuse Policy was created, the COB reinforced its commitment to guarantee a healthy environment, for welcoming, guidance, protection, and prevention, making an open channel for reporting cases of moral and sexual harassment and abuse available to athletes and agents involved in Olympic sports. This policy applies both to Team Brazil members in national and international competitions and to employees and members of COB powers, service providers, and volunteers.

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