The SAFE HARBOUR project has published its third newsletter, offering an update on its ongoing work to strengthen safeguarding in European sport. Released every six months, the newsletter serves as a key communication tool to keep partners, stakeholders, and the wider sporting community informed about the project's progress and upcoming initiatives. 

This edition highlights the project’s steady progress since October 2025, as illustrated by the consortium’s second project meeting in Bucharest, where preliminary findings of the GAP report were presented, the stakeholder database mapping examined, work on the European Response framework advanced, and reflections on the European Network for Safe Sport shared. Building on this, in December 2025 the SAFE HARBOUR project submitted the GAP report as its second deliverable, comprehensively assessing safeguarding across 20 National Olympic Committees and 2 International Federations and identifying both progress made and remaining areas for improvement. 

This third edition also marks the first anniversary of the project, celebrating one year of successful implementation. While the project’s influence continues to expand across Europe, with several NOCs joining beyond the consortium as observers, this year was also marked by the further identification and engagement of key safeguarding stakeholders, alongside strengthened collaboration through the Peer-to-Peer Roundtables and Thematic Seminars. 

The project's visibility has continued to grow, with presentations at high-level events such as the 45th EOC Seminar in Malta and the EU Network for Children’s Rights meeting bringing SAFE HARBOUR to new audiences. Beyond these events, partner organisations have played an active role in amplifying the project's reach through their own communication channels, while pressing forward with concrete initiatives to advance safeguarding in sport. 

Subscribe to the SAFE HARBOUR newsletter and follow the project on LinkedIn and its website to stay informed. 

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.