Sports leaders, safeguarding experts, former athletes and policymakers from across Europe gathered at the Crowne Plaza Hotel at Dublin Airport in Dublin, Ireland, on 8 May for the European Aquatics Athletes Conference, where athlete welfare and safeguarding took centre stage throughout a day of discussions focused on reform, accountability and the future of athlete protection in sport.
Nick Hope welcomed attendees to the conference, emphasizing the urgent need to better protect athletes at every level of sport. While acknowledging significant progress in awareness campaigns and safeguarding policies across Europe, Nick Hope warned that many athletes still face inadequate protections and insufficient support systems. He challenged delegates to move beyond discussion and toward meaningful reform, suggesting the conference could become a catalyst for future policy development across European sport.
Antonio Silva, President of European Aquatics, reinforced those concerns during his keynote address, describing safeguarding as one of the defining responsibilities facing modern sport. “For European aquatics athletes, welfare is not a peripheral concern, it’s a core pillar of our governance and responsibility and our identity as a sport organisation,” Antonio Silva told delegates. He highlighted the growing cooperation between European Aquatics, international sporting bodies and the European Commission in developing unified safeguarding standards.
Antonio Silva said athlete welfare required a coordinated, cross-sport approach capable of addressing complaints effectively while creating safer environments for competitors. “We are committed to ensuring that every athlete can train, compete and progress in environments that are safe, respectful and inclusive,” he added. Antonio Silva also reaffirmed European Aquatics’ commitment to education, stronger safeguarding structures and continuous improvement, while emphasizing the importance of listening directly to athletes’ experiences.
Sarah Keane, a member of the European Aquatics Bureau, told delegates that athlete welfare must remain central to every sporting organisation’s culture and governance. Welcoming attendees to what she described as a “day of learning and sharing,” Sarah Keane praised the contribution of the European equality committee and stressed the importance of athlete representation across all decision-making bodies. Reflecting on the developmental journey of young athletes, Sarah Keane noted the evolving role coaches play in helping competitors take ownership of their careers and wellbeing. She said the complexities surrounding athlete welfare required constant learning and adaptation from sporting institutions.
The European Commission also outlined its expanding role in the sector. Paola Ottonello, Team Leader at the European Commission, detailed ongoing work aimed at strengthening both elite and grassroots sport through safeguarding initiatives, peer-learning programmes and sustainable participation models. Paola Ottonello highlighted health-enhancing physical activity as a major European priority and confirmed that updated physical activity recommendations are expected next year. She also promoted the Erasmus+ funding programme, which continues to support sport-related projects across Europe.
Safeguarding failures often begin long before formal complaints are filed, delegates heard from Andrew Azzopardi, Director of Safeguarding at the ATP. Andrew Azzopardi argued that organisations frequently miss early warning signs because athletes communicate concerns indirectly or informally. He stressed the importance of prompt, empathetic responses to concerns, saying trust and athlete safety depend on organisations acting before harm escalates. According to Andrew Azzopardi, professional curiosity, compassion and consistency are essential in building a culture of accountability within sport.
Former athletics athlete Mhairi Maclennan delivered one of the conference’s most powerful interventions, warning that investigative processes themselves can retraumatise individuals who come forward with complaints. Mhairi Maclennan called for investigations to become more trauma-informed and person-centred, emphasizing that athletes experience trauma differently and require compassionate, consistent communication throughout the process. She introduced the SAFE framework — ensuring systems are safe, protect athlete agency, uphold fairness and foster empowerment — and encouraged sporting bodies to adopt tools such as communication agreements to prevent complainants from feeling isolated or ignored. Every complaint, Mhairi Maclennan argued, should be viewed as an opportunity to improve organisational culture rather than simply a case to manage.
Kate Hills expanded on the operational challenges facing safeguarding teams inside sports organisations. Kate Hills advocated for dedicated safeguarding leads with clearly defined responsibilities and independence from other administrative functions. “The effectiveness of your safeguarding lead will be directly linked to the culture of your organisation,” Kate Hills said, stressing that safeguarding cannot succeed unless supported from the top levels of leadership through to clubs and coaches. Drawing on Swim Ireland’s structure, Kate Hills described how safeguarding responsibilities operate at national, regional and club levels, supported by ongoing education and specialist training. She also highlighted the emotional toll safeguarding work can have on professionals themselves, calling for stronger external support systems to help mitigate vicarious trauma among safeguarding staff.
Carlotta Giussani, Director of the European Olympic Committees Office, presented the Safe Harbour project, a European Commission-funded initiative launched in January 2025 to strengthen safeguarding response mechanisms across the continent. Initially involving 20 European countries before expanding to 33 nations and two international federations, the programme aims to establish a unified European response framework by 2027. Carlotta Giussani said the project had already delivered a gap analysis report, stakeholder database and safeguarding classification system, while future ambitions include building a Europe-wide safeguarding officer network and advocating for legislative reform.
A panel featuring Tom Fannon of Swim Ireland, Emma Garcia from the European Aquatics Athletes’ Commission, boxer Gráinne Walsh and para-athlete Greta Streimikyte explored the realities of modern athlete life during a discussion moderated by Nick Hope. The athletes spoke openly about recognising and protecting athletes’ rights, the pressures and expectations that come with elite sport, and the importance of sporting federations understanding the broader identity of athletes beyond competition. The discussion also focused on how organisations can provide stronger support systems to help athletes navigate both sporting and personal challenges throughout their careers.
The French Swimming Federation’s preparations for the 2026 European Aquatic Championships were also highlighted during the conference. Jeanne Lehéricey outlined how the federation is placing athlete welfare and event safety at the centre of its planning. Following revelations of sexual abuse within French swimming in 2020, the federation has implemented a wide-ranging safeguarding framework that includes staff training, background checks, accreditation controls and clear reporting pathways. Dedicated sustainability, accessibility and legacy departments have also been established as part of the federation’s broader organisational overhaul. Jeanne Lehéricey said the measures are designed to ensure a safe environment for athletes, staff and spectators alike, with further reviews planned after the championships to strengthen future protections.
Closing the event, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of SIGA, called for sweeping international reform to tackle abuse, exploitation and trafficking in sport. Praising European Aquatics for embracing transparency and independent scrutiny, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros argued that safeguarding must become a global integrity issue rather than an isolated compliance exercise. He urged sporting organisations to adopt proactive, collective solutions to better protect young athletes and announced a new global mentorship initiative led by Katie Simmons aimed at inspiring the next generation of female leaders in sport.
Throughout the conference, one theme remained constant: safeguarding is no longer viewed as a peripheral issue but as a defining test of sport’s integrity, leadership and future credibility.
Mark Stoops for European Aquatics
