Safe sport jobs increase as Canadian sport sector responds to community
Safe sport and safeguarding in sport have become top priorities for the Canadian sport sector. Prevalence studies have revealed that athletes across different levels of sport frequently experience maltreatment (Alexander et coll., 2011; Vertommen et coll., 2016; US Center for SafeSport, 2021; Willson et coll., 2022). Equity deserving athletes experience more harm in sport (Burdsey,…
All that glitters is not gold: The rising threat of competition manipulation
You’d be hard pressed to visit a large Canadian city these days and not see a billboard for sports gambling. Maybe you’ve noticed a similar trend while watching TV, of athletes and celebrities telling us not only which sports books to use, but how easy it is to bet on games across different sports and…
Cannabis and sport: What athletes and sport organizations need to know
Highlights With the exception of CBD, cannabinoids remain prohibited by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport during the competition phase of the athletic season and therefore are not to be used by athletes Although some cannabis and CBD products may be suggested to have the potential to aid with recovery or sports performance, very…
Can you hear me now? The emergence of the athlete voice in Canadian Sport
This article is the third and final piece in a special series that explores how Canadian sport leaders are adapting and innovating to safeguard the well-being of athletes preparing for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and other major games during a global pandemic. Don’t miss the first and second articles in the series! Highlights…
Five Things You Should Know About the Canadian Anti-Doping Program
Anti-doping is often thought to be exclusive to high-performance sport. Athletes are whisked away from the public eye after winning events to have urine and blood collected. It’s true that testing athletes at competitions is an important element of a successful anti-doping program, but there is much more involved in creating a sporting culture that…
Experts in the House – Q&A with Beckie Scott on Integrity in Sport
In this highly-anticipated SIRC webinar, Politics vs Principle: retaining integrity in sport, and why it matters, Beckie Scott discussed the importance of ethics and integrity in sport and safeguarding the rights of athletes in the face of increasing pressures to generate revenue and the expectations of International sport bodies. Below is a video recap of…
Cannabis and Sport: Perspectives from a Seat in the Canadian Senate
Canada’s Olympic history is a decorated one. There have been so many moments of note that we sometimes need reminding of what has transpired as the years pass as the medals pile up. For instance, February 2018 marked twenty years since Ross Rebagliati won Olympic gold in snowboarding. His win was notable not only for…
The Legalization of Cannabis: Insights for Sport Organizations
The legalization of cannabis in October 2018 has significant implications on the Canadian sport system, ranging from anti-doping policy, to athlete and staff safety and wellbeing, to risk management for organizations. In November, Julia Dales, Associate Lawyer with Dentons, joined SIRC through a webinar to discuss cannabis laws in Canada. The webinar was designed to increase…
The Implications of Cannabis Legalization for Athletes
The legalization of cannabis in Canada will have significant implications on the Canadian sport system, ranging from anti-doping policy, to athlete and staff safety and wellbeing, to risk management for organizations. In conjunction with its partners, SIRC will be providing insight and resources to support sport organizations in navigating the many issues. This SIRCuit article,…
The Athlete Biological Passport: Enhancing clean sport
Promoting fair play and implementing ethical sport policies are among the options for promoting clean sport. Rules and regulations are created in order to protect the health and safety of participants – as well as the integrity of sport. However, in the world of elite performance, in which millimeters, milliseconds and milligrams matter, the equipment…