The International Biathlon Union, supported by the Biathlon Integrity Unit, is one of just two international sports federations taking part in Safe Harbour, a collaborative project aimed at strengthening the response mechanism for safeguarding in European sports.

The project officially began on 1 January, with its initial meeting taking place on 28 and 29 January in Brussels. The meeting was set to provide an opportunity to define roles and responsibilities, strengthen collaboration, and set the stage for the project’s initial activities.

Other participants include the International Ice Hockey Federation and 20 European National Olympic Committees, and the project is being co-ordinated by the European Olympic Committees.

Running until June 2027, Safe Harbour aims to enhance safeguarding measures across European sports, encouraging a safer environment for all. Together, the participants will map existing safeguarding practices, identify service gaps, and develop a European response framework to guide safeguarding initiatives across the continent.

Additionally, the participants will create national strategies tailored to the needs of partner countries, providing effective approaches to address safeguarding challenges and offering specialised training programmes to build capacity and expertise.

A major milestone of the project will be the establishment of the European Network for Safeguarding in Sport (ENSS). This online platform will serve as a hub to promote collaboration, share best practices, and ensure the long-term sustainability of safeguarding efforts in European sports.

A series of National Multiplier Events will be organised to raise awareness and share knowledge with a broad range of stakeholders beyond the participants, further amplifying the project’s reach and impact.

The Safe Harbour project is a Cooperation Partnership co-financed by the European Commission through the Erasmus+ Programme 2024.

Participation in the project builds on the BIU’s existing commitment to safeguarding, which has included webinars, podcast interviews and outreaches at IBU events.

Greg McKenna, Head of BIU states after the meeting in Brussels: “I was pleased to attend the Safe Harbour project’s inaugural meeting and to see such strong cooperation between international and national sporting organisations. There is a clear and collective commitment to raising the level of safe sport across the European Union. In cooperation with the International Biathlon Union,  BIU remains dedicated to strengthening safeguarding measures, and we look forward to contributing to this important initiative alongside our partners.”