Softball Canada is pleased to announce that it has signed an agreement to join Abuse-Free Sport, the new independent program to prevent and address maltreatment in sport.

Softball Canada, and its stakeholders at the national level, will have access to the services of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commission (OSIC), which serves as the central hub of Abuse-Free Sport, following a transition period which will end no later March 31st, 2023.

“Softball Canada recognizes that safe sport is everyone’s responsibility. Softball Canada has been fully committed to doing our part to support a growing national movement that is changing the culture of sport in Canada. As part of that commitment, we are pleased to sign on to Abuse-Free Sport and to soon have the OSIC to administer our safe sport complaints,” stated Angela Ballantyne, Manager, Sport Development with Softball Canada. “The sport community has been asking for just this kind of consistent national program and it is an important step forward for everyone involved in sport in Canada.”

During the transition period, Softball Canada is completing full adoption of the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS), which it must do before it can become part of the Abuse-Free Sport program and making the required policy changes.

Prior to April 1, 2023, Softball Canada participants who have experience or witnessed abuse will continue to have access to independent third-party services through Cristy Nurse, Hammond LLP. cnurse@hammondllp.ca.

There is more information regarding the Abuse-Free Sport program here, on the OSIC website.
 

For more information, please contact:
 

Emma Lindblad
Manager- Communications
p: 613-618-8331
elindblad@softball.ca