03 MELANIE LANG

Assistant director of the Centre for Child Protection and Safeguarding in Sport

(CPSS). She works closely with national sports and coaching organisations to provide research and advice on safeguarding and child protection.

I don’t see the point of research if it doesn’t make a difference. A lot of my work now is implementing interventions to assess effectiveness within sports organisations – few governing bodies would let me do that 10 years ago. Part of what we do is teach the next generation of coaches and athletes. Research has to effect change.

We’ve known for more than 20 years that coach-athlete relationships have unequal power dynamics, creating the potential for abuse. This is women’s lived experience, particularly in the male-dominated domain of sport. The higher up the performance ladder, regardless of age, the more susceptible women are, putting up with exploitation because they have so much to lose.

A lot of my work has focused on athlete welfare, not just at the elite level but at the grassroots. Much has been in child safeguarding, but you don’t stop needing this at 16. Sexual grooming can still occur, even if a “relationship” doesn’t start until after 18. Although coaches are currently exempt from abuse of trust laws, in March, the government proposed new legislation to bring them in line with other adults who work with children, thanks to an NSPCC campaign to close that loophole.

We’ve come far in how we approach welfare issues, but there’s still a way to go. Some governing bodies take safeguarding seriously, but others do little. It’s vital at all levels, from recreational to elite.

It is changing as more athletes disclose their experiences. But the burden shouldn’t be on them. Governing bodies need to be more proactive because women and girls are far more likely to be the victims of all forms of abuse in sport.’ •