A pathway to safer sport
Awareness, Prevention & Action
Creating a Safe Sport environment is a shared responsibility, requiring enhanced awareness, prevention strategies, and clear actions for reporting and support. This page provides the resources and guidance you need to ensure a Safe Sport community.
What is Safe Sport? Safe Sport is an environment where everyone can have a healthy, supportive, and respectful sports experience, free from harassment and abuse.
SNM is committed to fostering a culture where individuals feel safe, respected, and empowered to experience the benefits of sport.
What is Safe Sport?
Safe Sport refers to creating and maintaining an environment that prioritizes the physical and psychological well-being of all Participants. It involves a commitment to providing optimal experiences, while actively preventing and addressing all forms of Maltreatment, including abuse, Harassment, neglect, and discrimination.
Advancing safe sport is a shared responsibility that requires awareness, education, and clear actions for reporting. This page provides resources and guidance to help advance safe sport in Swimming Natation Manitoba.
Sport Manitoba offers the confidential Safe Sport Line, which provides guidance on reporting maltreatment and connects individuals with support.
Learn More About the Safe Sport Line
Safe Sport Tips: Understand the expected behaviours in sport environments.
Protecting Youth in Sports Act
The Protecting Youth in Sports Act enhances protection measures for young athletes in Manitoba’s sport system. All Provincial Sport Organizations (PSOs), including Swim Natation Manitoba, must adhere to the following requirements:
● Adopt the policies outlined in the Safe Sport Policy Manual.
● Make safe sport information available to parents and young athletes.
● Ensure coaches complete required screening and training.
● Ensure all participants have access to report allegations of maltreatment to an Independent Third Party (ITP).
● Refer any allegations of maltreatment to the ITP if our organization receives such complaints.
● Enforce any disciplinary action determined by the ITP.
SNM has adopted the Sport Manitoba Safe Sport Policy manual that includes the following policies: Code of Conduct and Ethics Policy, Discipline and Complaints Policy, Appeal Policy, Respect in Sport Policy, and Coaching Screening Policy. These policies have been approved by the SNM Board of Directors effective April 1, 2026.
Report a Maltreatment Complaint
ITP Sport is responsible for overseeing all allegations of maltreatment. If you would like to submit a maltreatment complaint, please submit your complaint to ITP Sport here. Reporting a maltreatment complaint may seem confusing and overwhelming. The following resources can help you navigate the process:
● How to File a Maltreatment Complaint – Interactive Video
● Maltreatment Complaint Process Flowchart
● Filing a Maltreatment Complaint – Complainant’s Guide
● Maltreatment Complaint – Respondent’s Guide
If a maltreatment complaint is submitted to a coach, official, volunteer, or staff member, the complaint must be referred to the ITP.
Report a Non-Maltreatment Complaint
All Non-Maltreatment Complaints are to be submitted directly to swim.ed@sportmanitoba.ca. Current SNM Discipline and Complaint Policy and SNM Appeal Policy are in effect for these types of complaints.
Resources
Safe Sport Policy Manual: Policies outlining behaviour expectations for all sport stakeholders, procedures for handling complaints, appeal procedures, and coach education and screening requirements.
Coach Screening Policy: All SNM coaches (any individual who is 14 years of age or older and is authorized or recognized by an organization to provide instruction and direction to participants in a sport) must complete the necessary coach screening requirements including.
Safe Sport Tips for Athletes: Age-appropriate tips for athletes under 8, ages 9–12, and 13+, describing expected behaviour, measures for their protection, and steps to take if they experience harm, with the 13+ group also having access to a 20-minute safe sport education online module.
Safe Sport Handbook for Parents: Information detailing behaviour expectations, different forms of maltreatment, possible indicators that a child experienced maltreatment, and steps to take if a child experienced maltreatment.
Respect in Sport for Activity Leaders: This course must be completed within sixty (60) days of being assigned a coaching position. Coaches maintain their Respect in Sport certification status by completing the course every five (5) years.
Safe Sport Line: If you or someone you know is experiencing maltreatment in sport, and you need someone to talk to, contact the safe sport line at 1-833-656-SAFE (7233) or help@safesportline.ca.
For additional safe sport resources, visit Sport Manitoba’s safe sport page here.