Safe Harbour blog

Researchers from the research line Safeguarding Sport and Society, Dr. Tine Vertommen and Dr. Karolien Adriaens, are representing Thomas More as a partner in the Erasmus+ funded SAFE HARBOUR project. The project is coordinated by European Olympic Committees EU Office and brings a total of 27 partners together, of which 20 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and 2 International Sport Federations (IFs).  

The SAFE HARBOUR project, short for “Strengthening Response Mechanisms for Safeguarding in European Sport”, aims to boost the capacity of the European sports movement to respond to safeguarding concerns and violations by classifying safeguarding concerns within and across Europe. It also aims at identifying the gaps in safeguarding response within and across Europe. The project aims to establish National Strategies, a European Response Framework, and a European Network for Safe Sports. 

As a leading expert in safeguarding, the Safeguarding Sport and Society research team will play a pivotal role in the SAFE HARBOUR project. The main focus of their research will be on mapping the current safeguarding practices, identifying service gaps, and creating an online database to map key stakeholders in each partner country. Additionally, they will also lead several thematic seminars and provide support in the development of templates for the National Strategies and workshops.  

Throughout the project, Thomas More will collaborate closely with EOC EU Office, Asser Institute and the International Olympic Committee to equip all partner NOCs and Federations with the tools and confidence to implement effective safeguarding measures while establishing a robust support network for Safeguarding Officers and laying the groundwork for a future IOC Regional Safe Sport Hub.