The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (NOC Romania) is pleased to be a partner in the new Erasmus+ Project named “Strengthening Response Mechanism for Safeguarding in European Sports” (SAFE HARBOUR), which is coordinated by the European Olympic Committees EU Office (EOC EU Office). This initiative is dedicated to enhancing safeguarding mechanisms across European sport, creating safer environments for all. 

About NOC Romania 

NOC Romania is an umbrella organization dedicated to promoting and supporting Olympic values in Romania. As a National Olympic Committee, NOC Romania plays a central role in fostering high-performance sports, athlete development, and sports education, while also ensuring the ethical and sustainable growth of the sporting environment. With a commitment to integrity, excellence, and building a strong community, NOC Romania collaborates closely with national sports federations, governmental bodies, and international organisations to strengthen Romania’s presence in the global Olympic Movement. 

Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee is the contact point in Romania for everything related to European priorities at sports level, Olympic values and good governance, as it is a role model for the national sports federations and also a trend giver. 

The work of NOC Romania on safeguarding in sports to date 

Safeguarding in sport has been a key priority for NOC Romania, recognizing that athlete well-being is fundamental to both performance and personal development. Over the years, NOC Romania has implemented various initiatives aimed at creating a safe, respectful, and inclusive sporting environment, like monthly webinars for coaches and national sports federations representatives aiming to raise awareness on the need of interdisciplinarity and multidisciplinarity, on safeguarding and mental health, on environmental sustainability and sustainable development on six fundamental pillars. These efforts include dedicated safeguarding forums, commissions, athlete welfare programs, and education campaigns to raise awareness among athletes, coaches, and staff. Additionally, NOC Romania has been actively engaged in international collaborations, contributing to European safeguarding projects, like GUARD and aligning its strategies with global best practices. Through these actions, NOC Romania remains committed to fostering a culture where every athlete can thrive in a protected and supportive environment. 

The role of NOC Romania within the SAFE HARBOUR project 

Within the SAFE HARBOUR project, NOC Romania will play a critical role in tailoring the European Response framework to its national context. Responsibilities include drafting a National Strategy to guide safeguarding actions, delivering mandatory training for the leadership and National Federations, and hosting a National Multiplier Event to raise awareness among stakeholders. Additionally, NOC Romania will engage in peer-to-peer roundtables, contribute to thematic seminars, and disseminate the project results through various channels. By actively participating in all project activities, NOC Romania will help ensure the successful implementation and sustainability of safeguarding measures. 

Background information on the SAFE HARBOUR project  

The SAFE HARBOUR project, short for “Strengthening Response Mechanisms for Safeguarding in European Sport”, is a 30-month project co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Sport Programme 2024. Coordinated by the EOC EU Office, the consortium includes Thomas More and Asser Institute as experts on safeguarding, human rights and law, 2 International Federations (International Biathlon Union and International Ice Hockey Federations), and 20 National Olympic Committees (Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia). Additionally, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) is involved as an outside resource.   

The project seeks to strengthen the capacity of European NOCs and Federations to address safeguarding concerns by identifying gaps, developing a European Response framework, and fostering collaboration. This framework will be adapted to national contexts, complemented by training and awareness initiatives to enhance safeguarding measures at both national and European levels. Therefore, SAFE HARBOUR aims to equip partner NOCs and Federations with the tools and confidence to implement effective safeguarding measures while establishing a robust support network for Safeguarding Officers and laying the groundwork for a future IOC Regional Safeguarding Hub.