Malawi Olympic Committee (MOC) has called on athletes to report to relevant authorities each time they face various forms of abuse. MOC Vice President Flora Mwandira made the call at Blantyre youth Center on the sidelines of the training for athletes.
The Organizations Women and Sports Commission convened the gathering with the aim of fighting abuse in sports. Mwandira said athletes can effectively contribute to the country’s sport development if they are safeguarded from abuse.
“We want our athletes to report any abuse they face to authorities, apart from Training the athletes on the need to report abuse, we have established an office which will be handling issues of safeguarding athletes and officials so that their rights are respected. We have formulated a policy on the same and we will ensure that it is implemented so that our athletes are protected from all forms of abuse. This is one way of helping them achieve their goals.”
She said
One of the workshop’s participants, Lawn Tennis Association General Secretary Regina Dembo, said the training was of great significance.
“We have been made aware of some safety issues in sports. Athletes indeed face many forms of abuse under various circumstances. This training has therefore equipped us with the right tools for handling such cases. As an official who works with young athletes, she had appreciated the need to respect the rights of all athletes regardless of age.
Dembo Said