Project report

Strengthening Safe Sport Across Southern AfricaChild Helpline International Completes Landmark Feasibility Study for the International Olympic Committee

Thomas Müller · 15 Oct 2026

Abstract

Sport has the power to transform lives. It builds confidence, teaches teamwork, creates opportunities, and provides millions of children and young people with a place to learn, grow and belong. Yet sport is only truly empowering when it is safe. For many children, the sporting environment can also become a place where abuse, violence, exploitation, manipulation and neglect occur. Too often, children and young people face significant barriers to reporting their experiences, with organizations prioritizing protecting their reputation and staff over protecting the children in their care. Independent, child-friendly reporting mechanisms remain the exception rather than the norm. Recognizing both the enormous potential of sport and the urgent need to strengthen safeguarding, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the Safe Sport Regional Hub Initiative. As part of this global initiative, Child Helpline International received a grant from the IOC to work alongside the African Union Sports Council Region 5 (AUSC Region 5) to assess the feasibility of establishing a Safe Sport Regional Hub for Southern Africa. Bringing children's voices into the heart of Safe Sport Running from January 2025 until April 2026, our project brought together expertise from both the sport and child protection sectors. While AUSC Region 5 engaged Ministries of Sport, National Olympic Committees, sports federations, clubs, coaches and other key stakeholders across the sporting landscape, we coordinated the child protection component of the study, ensuring that the experiences, perspectives and recommendations of children, young people and survivors informed every stage of the feasibility assessment. Working through our member child helplines and trusted national partners, we coordinated consultations across Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe. This work was made possible through the commitment and expertise of Lifeline/Childline Namibia, Childline South Africa, Childline Botswana, Lifeline/Childline Zambia, Childline Zimbabwe, YONECO in Malawi, Linha Fala Criança in Mozambique and SWAGAA in Eswatini, together with national experts in Angola and Lesotho. Their knowledge of national child protection systems, extensive experience supporting children, and deep understanding of local contexts ensured that the feasibility study was firmly grounded in the realities facing children across the region. Building the evidence base Throughout the project, we coordinated the production of 10 country reports authored by our members and national partners, alongside an overarching regional synthesis report bringing together findings from across Southern Africa. Together, these reports drew on the analysis of more than 2.5 million contacts from children and young people received by child helplines across the region. This remarkable body of evidence, representing the voices, experiences and help-seeking behaviours of children themselves, provided an invaluable foundation for understanding safeguarding risks, barriers to reporting abuse in sport, and the types of support children trust and need. Recognizing that effective protection in sport requires more than identifying gaps, we also developed a comprehensive suite of technical resources to support the potential implementation of a Safe Sport Regional Hub. Alongside the regional report and country studies, these included a thematic analysis of help-seeking behaviours across Southern Africa, guidance on trauma-informed investigations, a child-friendly communications strategy, a dedicated resource mobilization strategy, guidance on standard operating procedures for an independent Safe Sport Regional Hub mechanism, and a technical note outlining key considerations for establishing a dedicated call and contact centre. Together, these outputs provide both the evidence base and practical implementation guidance needed should the initiative move into its next phase. A collaborative journey The project was characterized by close collaboration between Child Helpline International, AUSC Region 5, local partners throughout the region and the IOC. Early milestones included the joint development of the inception report in March 2025, followed by the promotion of the initiative at the inaugural Olympism365 Summit in Lausanne in June 2025. During the same month, we officially launched the project with members and partners at the International Consultation in Livingstone, Zambia. Following the signing of Memoranda of Understanding with national members and partners during September and October 2025, in-country research was undertaken throughout the region, culminating in the completion of the national reports by February 2026. Findings were reviewed and discussed during a Project Advisory Committee meeting in Johannesburg in March 2026 before all reports and technical deliverables were finalized and submitted to the IOC at the end of April 2026. Key lessons emerging from the study Across all 10 countries, one message emerged consistently: sport matters. For millions of children, sport represents opportunity, belonging, confidence, health and positive development. Families place enormous trust in coaches, clubs and sporting organizations to provide safe environments where children can thrive. At the same time, the study found that abuse and violence in sport remain significantly underreported. Safeguarding systems are often fragmented, responsibilities unclear, and many children do not know where they can safely, confidentially and anonymously seek help outside their sporting organization. The research also highlighted a common challenge. When allegations arise, sporting organizations may face competing interests between protecting the reputation of their club, federation or sport and protecting the child who has experienced harm. This reinforces the need for independent, trusted reporting mechanisms outside of sport that place children’s rights and wellbeing above institutional interests. The study demonstrates that child helplines are uniquely positioned to fulfil this role. As independent, confidential and child-friendly services, they can provide information, counselling and emotional support, facilitate referrals, and where appropriate initiate or support investigations while safeguarding the wellbeing and privacy of those who come forward. The findings demonstrate the significant potential of stronger collaboration between the child protection and sport sectors to improve safeguarding outcomes across Southern Africa and beyond. Looking ahead The completed feasibility study, together with the joint outcome report prepared by Child Helpline International and AUSC Region 5, will now be presented to the Executive Board of the IOC. The Executive Board will determine the next steps for the Safe Sport Regional Hub Initiative and whether implementation of a regional hub will move forward. Whatever the outcome, this collaboration has demonstrated the value of bringing together the expertise of the sport sector and child protection professionals, and, most importantly, ensuring that the voices of children, young people and survivors remain at the centre of efforts to make sport safer for everyone. We are proud to have worked alongside our members, national partners, the African Union Sports Council Region 5 and the IOC on this important initiative. Together, they have laid the foundations for a stronger, child-centred approach to safeguarding in sport across Southern Africa, one that has the potential to transform how children are protected and supported both on and off the field of play globally. Thomas Müller Project Lead Safe Sports Initiative The post <p style='font-size:20px'>Strengthening Safe Sport Across Southern Africa</p><p style='font-size:16px'>Child Helpline International Completes Landmark Feasibility Study for the International Olympic Committee</p> appeared first on Child Helpline International.