27/04/2026
Safeguarding does not fail because policies are missing. It fails because they are not lived.
At the National Conference for Women in Sport, Mabo Mponda, Head of Monitoring & Evaluation at NOWSPAR, challenged us to rethink what a truly safe sporting environment looks like, and how we measure it.
Because safety is not just the absence of harm. It is the presence of respect, trust, and accountability.
And it cannot be measured by numbers alone.
It must be measured by voices. By experiences. By how safe athletes actually feel.
The reality is this:
Many organisations have safeguarding policies.
But too often, they remain on paper , unseen, unfelt, and unpracticed.
So the question becomes:
How do we move from policy to culture?
The answers are not abstract:
- Train coaches and staff so they understand and apply safeguarding.
- Create trusted reporting systems where athletes can speak without fear.
- Ensure leadership models accountability, because culture starts at the top.
- Track not just participation, but experiences of safety and inclusion.
Because safeguarding is not a checklist. It is a daily practice.
And while it is everyone’s responsibility, accountability must be clear, from individuals to institutions.
If we are serious about protection, safety and inclusion, then we must move beyond compliance… and build environments where every athlete feels valued, heard, and protected.
Because safe sport is not what we say.
It is what athletes experience.
