Alison Doherty (ADOHERTY@UWO.CA) @ 06/05/2025
The prevention and medical management of concussions in sport are advancing, however too many incidents continue to be unreported at the youth level. Participants continue to under-report concussion symptoms during play, putting themselves at risk of further harm and longer recovery. To address this important gap in safe youth sport, we identify the multiple levels…
Embedding EDI in Safe Sport
Every athlete deserves a safe and welcoming environment in sport. And while athletes from equity-owed groups may be more likely to experience harm, a recent study revealed that these athletes often perceive Safe Sport as an unrealistic and unattainable ideal. These findings suggest that integrating principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to safeguarding…
Does Culture Really Count in Sport?
For the past several years, the word culture has become a familiar buzzword across Canadian sport. Headlines about “Hockey Canada’s toxic culture”, a “culture crisis at Gymnastics Canada”, and “the culture of abuse and discrimination” in several national sport organizations (NSOs) have brought the issue to the forefront. Athletics, Soccer, Skating, Rowing, Bobsled and Skeleton,…
A Code for All Levels of Sport: Implementing the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) across Canada
Introduction The Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) was introduced to the Canadian sport system at the national level in 2022. It may be time to think about its role across the entire sport spectrum from the national level to the provincial and territorial level and to the local…
Creating safe spaces in recreational sport: A mental health perspective
Sports are often celebrated for their physical benefits, but they also play a crucial role in mental health. Participation in sports can improve mood, stress relief, and foster a sense of belonging (Bruner et al., 2018; Panza et al., 2020). However, while these benefits are well-documented, they aren’t always guaranteed. In fact, sport participation can…
Embedding EDI in Safe Sport
Every athlete deserves a safe and welcoming environment in sport. And while athletes from equity-owed groups may be more likely to experience harm, a recent study revealed that these athletes often perceive Safe Sport as an unrealistic and unattainable ideal. These findings suggest that integrating principles of equity, diversity and inclusion are fundamental to safeguarding…
Suffering in silence: Men’s and boys’ mental health are still overlooked in sport
For men and boys, caring about sport typically conjures images of passionate competition and fighting for the win. This understanding of care leaves little room for self-care, health and safety, and emotional vulnerability — topics that are fraught with risks for boys and men in a sport culture of hypermasculinity. The National Hockey League Players’ Association recently…
Balancing Act: Navigating weight cutting in sports for athlete well-being
Weight cutting in sport sounds harsh because it is. As a U19 national champion wrestler with international experience and a mixed martial artist, I have first-hand experience losing weight in a short amount of time to compete in my desired category. And I can tell you that it is both mentally and physically daunting. My…
Embracing Excellence: Cultivating Success Through Positive Sport
Introduction and Context Safe Sport continues to be a top concern in Canada, with continued efforts to address maltreatment at all levels of sport. While sexual violence is discussed most frequently in research and practice, with the rhetoric being that children need to be protected from ‘bad apples’ and ‘predators’, Canadian1,2 and international3,4 prevalence studies…
Being Alive and at Risk: Building a Meshwork of Risk and Health Among Young Adults
Introduction and Context The research explores the concept of risk in relation to young adults’ participation in diverse sport and leisure environments. Because of the many broad and divergent definitions of risk as well as its all-encompassing and evolving nature within and beyond sport and leisure, risk scholarship has typically suffered from an inability to…