Despite calls for action, the Canadian government has been slow to address allegations of sexual abuse in sporting bodies. Credit: Shutterstock
Sport in Canada is at a crossroads. The ongoing scandal with Hockey Canada highlights the need to take broader societal action to create a safer sport culture. The crisis in sport is rooted in issues of power and control that remain unchecked. There is also a lack of awareness at the least, and neglect or complicity at the worst.
In 2022, it came to light that Hockey Canada used internal funds to settle sexual assault allegations. Criticism of how Hockey Canada handled allegations of abuse have prompted an overhaul of the governing body’s leadership, and highlighted the sport system’s failure to foster a safe culture.
This situation demonstrated some of the most insidious aspects of abuse in sport. But Hockey Canada is not alone in the reckoning about ongoing abuse cultures in sport.
Across Canadian sport there are more stories surfacing about abuse and maltreatment. In the past few months alone, hundreds of athletes have come forward to publicly report issues of physical, sexual and psychological abuse, including more than 500 current and retired gymnasts.
Yet the government refuses to launch a national inquiry. Rather, it has referred the issue to Parliament’s Status of Women Committee. The implication is that abuse and maltreatment are only a women’s issue.
There have been calls for an independent inquiry into safe sport from scholars, athletes, the former Canadian Federal Sport Minister and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES).
2023-02-17 06:00:03
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Racial and gender inequalities are still pervasive in sports today; this is particularly true in Canadian sports. In the recent years, the issue of the inequity in sport has been exposed in the media, shining a light on the challenges that minority groups face and the abuse they often experience.
In 2020, the Office of the Ontario Human Rights Commission released a report that delved into the discrimination, racism and other forms of harassment that were prevalent in the sport culture in Ontario. The report uncovered a culture that tolerates racism and gender stereotypes; this, accompanied by limited opportunities and systemic biases, ensured that the abuse of women and racialized minorities remains commonplace.
The report noted that Black athletes were particularly vulnerable to racism and mistreatment and that they reported the highest degree of abuse and discrimination among all sports stakeholders. Furthermore, the report also highlighted the challenges that female athletes face in accessing benefits, such as coaching, training and equipment. It stated that, despite the growing number of women in sport in Canada, female athletes still receive fewer resources than their male counterparts.
The report concluded that change must happen at both the institutional and grassroots levels for any tangible progress to be made. It cited the lack of representation in upper management, with only 3% of decision-makers being racialized youth, as a clear example of the need for change. It also suggested the implementation of diversity and inclusion initiatives within sports organizations and increasing the presence of marginalized communities in decision-making roles to work towards creating a more equitable, inclusive and safe sport system.
Ultimately, the report re-affirmed the need to enact meaningful change if we are to make progress in dismantling the systemic racism and gender biases that persist in the Canadian sports landscape. Concerted efforts are needed to ensure that Canadian sports are free of abuse and discrimination and open to all regardless of gender and race.