Sport Integrity Africa Safe Sport Audit
Welcome to the SIA Safe Sport Audit.
This self-assessment is developed for African sport systems. It blends global safeguarding principles with African realities.
This tool will help you:
-Spot strengths and gaps.
-Plan realistic, culturally relevant improvements.
-Strengthen trust with athletes, parents, communities, and partners.
All responses are confidential in this pilot version.
Instructions: Answer each question honestly.
1. Do you have a written safeguarding policy reflecting law and local realities?
A policy protects people when it speaks to local laws and values. If it only copies international templates, it may be ignored in practice.
1. Does your organisation have a written Safe Sport or Safeguarding Policy?
2. Has your safeguarding policy been reviewed and updated in the past three years?
2. Has your safeguarding policy been reviewed and updated in the past three years?
3. Were athletes, parents, elders, or local leaders consulted in developing your policy?
3. Were athletes, parents, elders, or local leaders consulted in developing your policy?
4. Have you appointed a trained safeguarding officer or focal person known and trusted by athletes and the community?
4. Have you appointed a trained safeguarding officer or focal person known and trusted by athletes and the community?
5. Does your Board or leadership receive regular safeguarding updates and act on them?
5. Does your Board or leadership receive regular safeguarding updates and act on them?
6. Are safeguarding expectations included in your constitution, rules, or code of conduct?
6. Are safeguarding expectations included in your constitution, rules, or code of conduct?
Risk Prevention & Education
1. Have all staff and volunteers had relevant safeguarding training?
1. Have all staff and volunteers had relevant safeguarding training?
2. Are athletes, including minors, taught about their rights in age-appropriate and culturally respectful ways?
2. Are athletes, including minors, taught about their rights in age-appropriate and culturally respectful ways?
3. Do you check the background of everyone working with athletes, using both formal and community references where available?
3. Do you check the background of everyone working with athletes, using both formal and community references where available?
4. Are safeguarding materials available in formats and languages that all your participants can understand?
4. Are safeguarding materials available in formats and languages that all your participants can understand?
5. Do you have a code of conduct for all participants, and is it actively explained and reinforced?
5. Do you have a code of conduct for all participants, and is it actively explained and reinforced?
6. Have you addressed common risks in your setting, such as unsafe travel, overcrowded accommodation, or hooliganism?
6. Have you addressed common risks in your setting, such as unsafe travel, overcrowded accommodation, or hooliganism?
Reporting & Response Systems
1. Is there a confidential and culturally acceptable way for athletes, parents, and others to report concerns?
1. Is there a confidential and culturally acceptable way for athletes, parents, and others to report concerns?
2. Do people know who to contact, and can they trust that they will be heard without retaliation or loss of opportunities?
2. Do people know who to contact, and can they trust that they will be heard without retaliation or loss of opportunities?
3. Have you trained community safeguarding champions or focal points who can handle concerns sensitively?
3. Have you trained community safeguarding champions or focal points who can handle concerns sensitively?
4. Are there documented consequences for those found responsible for abuse or violations?
4. Are there documented consequences for those found responsible for abuse or violations?
5. Are reports tracked and reviewed periodically to identify patterns or risks?
5. Are reports tracked and reviewed periodically to identify patterns or risks?
6. Have you addressed the belief that speaking up "brings shame" and promoted the idea that it strengthens the club and community?
6. Have you addressed the belief that speaking up "brings shame" and promoted the idea that it strengthens the club and community?
Inclusion, Equity & Athlete Voice
1. Do your programmes actively include girls, athletes with disabilities, and those from minority or rural communities?
1. Do your programmes actively include girls, athletes with disabilities, and those from minority or rural communities?
2. Do all athletes receive the same level of protection, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or background?
2. Do all athletes receive the same level of protection, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religion, or background?
3. Do athletes have safe and culturally appropriate spaces to share feedback (e.g., group meetings, peer advocates, athlete councils)?
3. Do athletes have safe and culturally appropriate spaces to share feedback (e.g., group meetings, peer advocates, athlete councils)?
4. Have you engaged parents, guardians, and community leaders to support safeguarding practices?
4. Have you engaged parents, guardians, and community leaders to support safeguarding practices?
5. Do you involve young people in reviewing safeguarding measures so they reflect lived realities?
5. Do you involve young people in reviewing safeguarding measures so they reflect lived realities?
Monitoring & Accountability
1. Have you reviewed your safeguarding systems in the past 2 years to see if they are working in practice?
1. Have you reviewed your safeguarding systems in the past 2 years to see if they are working in practice?
2. Are safeguarding responsibilities included in staff, coach or volunteer performance reviews?
2. Are safeguarding responsibilities included in staff, coach or volunteer performance reviews?
3. Do you collect anonymous information about incidents, even in informal sports settings?
3. Do you collect anonymous information about incidents, even in informal sports settings?
4. Have you set realistic goals for improving safeguarding in the next 12 months?
4. Have you set realistic goals for improving safeguarding in the next 12 months?
Remedy & Safe Resolution of Harm
1. Does your organisation have a remedy or grievance mechanism for safeguarding violations even in informal or community-based sports?
1. Does your organisation have a remedy or grievance mechanism for safeguarding violations even in informal or community-based sports?
2. Are affected persons supported with independent care (psychological, medical, spiritual if requested) during and after investigations?
2. Are affected persons supported with independent care (psychological, medical, spiritual if requested) during and after investigations?
3. Are investigations trauma-informed and led by trained personnel who understand both safeguarding principles and local culture?
3. Are investigations trauma-informed and led by trained personnel who understand both safeguarding principles and local culture?
4. Are affected persons or their families consulted in shaping remedies?
4. Are affected persons or their families consulted in shaping remedies?
5. Do you record and act on lessons from each case to prevent similar harm in future?
5. Do you record and act on lessons from each case to prevent similar harm in future?
6. Are remedies culturally sensitive without excusing harmful behaviour?
6. Are remedies culturally sensitive without excusing harmful behaviour?
