On 18 March, the EOC EU Office hosted the SAFE HARBOUR European Conference, bringing together over 70 participants to mark the project’s halfway point, celebrate key achievements to date, and chart the path forward for the next phase of development.
The conference came at a pivotal moment, as SAFE HARBOUR transitions from its research phase into implementation. Thomas More University presented the key findings of the GAP report, the project’s second deliverable, which analysed safeguarding frameworks across National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs). The report highlighted growing awareness of safeguarding challenges within these organisations, while identifying structural and institutional barriers that continue to hinder effective implementation. Building on this foundation, the Asser Institute examined the specific legal challenges NOCs may encounter, offering targeted guidance and practical recommendations to help navigate them.
The conference also looked at the wider European safeguarding landscape, welcoming a series of guest speakers to broaden the conversation. Maria-Elena Casero, representing the Council of Europe’s Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport, outlined its complementary approach to safeguarding, which focuses on the policy-side of the topic. Both perspectives reinforced a shared conviction: safeguarding in sport requires every form of support available. Emma Thomas, founder of Under the Ropes, then brought a powerful and grounded dimension to the discussion, drawing on her experience as a survivor and advocate to offer concrete recommendations on how to engage meaningfully with survivors and handle safeguarding cases with the care and sensitivity they demand.
The question of how to translate evidence into action was explored further through two panel discussions, bringing together NOCs and IFs from the SAFE HARBOUR consortium. Participants reflected on their journey within the project and underscored the importance of building and sustaining a European network of sports stakeholders committed to creating safer sporting environments. This sentiment was perhaps best captured by Carlotta Giussani, SAFE HARBOUR Project Manager, who noted that since its launch in January 2025, SAFE HARBOUR has grown from a project into a movement.
The conference closed with a contribution from Catia Giannotta, representing the International Olympic Committee, who presented the IOC’s regional safeguarding hubs approach, a framework for which SAFE HARBOUR is actively laying the groundwork in Europe. In doing so, the project is helping to shape a hub that is built by the region, for the region.
Building on its strong evidence base, the SAFE HARBOUR project is now developing a comprehensive European Response framework aimed at streamlining and harmonising safeguarding in sport across Europe, alongside actionable national strategies that will bring these findings to life.
Background information on the SAFE HARBOUR project.
SAFE HARBOUR, standing 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 brings together Thomas More and the Asser Institute as experts in safeguarding, human rights and law, alongside 2 International Federations (the International Biathlon Union and the International Ice Hockey Federation) 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). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is also involved as an external resource.
The project aims 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 and complemented by training and awareness initiatives to enhance safeguarding at both national and European levels. Ultimately, SAFE HARBOUR seeks to equip partner organisations with the tools and confidence to implement effective safeguarding measures, establish a robust support network for Safeguarding Officers, and lay the groundwork for a future IOC Regional Safeguarding Hub.
