Biathlon’s NFs take action in response to IBU’s Safeguarding Policy

Nearly three-quarters of biathlon’s National Federations that responded to a survey by the Biathlon Integrity Unit now have a Safeguarding code of conduct in place, while over half operate a Safeguarding protection policy.

In a bid to investigate the status of the International Biathlon Union’s Safeguarding Policy, a survey was sent out by the BIU to all NFs to establish which NFs require further support and guidance in this important field.

The results of the survey were as follows:

·         43 NFs (out of 60) responded

·         72% have a code of conduct in place

·         56% operate a Safeguarding protection policy

·         56% have a reporting system in place (email, phone or online) and all reports are treated in confidence

·         40% provide stakeholders with relevant Safeguarding training (primarily focusing on athletes and coaches).

The BIU will follow up the survey with the following measures:

·         A Safeguarding workshop for NFs during the IBU Congress in September 2022

·         Individual online Safeguarding sessions for NFs that require more support.

Earlier this year, the IBU introduced a new Safeguarding Policy which aims to protect all people involved in biathlon. The BIU’s role is to ensure it is implemented for a safe environment for everyone in the biathlon family.

Click here to watch a YouTube video produced by the BIU on Safeguarding in biathlon.