Report a safeguarding concern at a FIFA competition

Safeguarding means taking proactive action to protect people from harm or abuse through appropriate prevention and response measures and promoting their wellbeing. It means doing everything possible to identify and address risks and to prevent any kind of harm or abuse from happening such as physical, sexual, emotional abuse and neglect, trafficking and exploitation. It also means having appropriate systems in place to adequately address and respond to concerns.

Child protection is an essential part of safeguarding and refers to the action taken in response to a specific concern for a child or children who may be suffering or is/are at risk of suffering harm or abuse. It requires referral to specialised child protection services, law enforcement agencies and expert local organisations that are trained to advise on, and manage, cases, if concerns arise about a child’s welfare.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and we are committed to protecting everybody’s rights and wellbeing in the context of football.

Moreover, FIFA places special attention on the protection of the rights and interests of children (all those under the age of 18) and young people (when concerning older children such as teenagers) as per the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) as well as adult individuals or “adults at risk” identified by FIFA as belonging to special attention groups who, under certain conditions and as a result of their surrounding environment, are at particular risk from abuse, exploitation or neglect in football, including young adults, women and disabled persons.

One of the safeguarding measures FIFA has put in place is the Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination Code of Conduct that all FIFA accreditation holders. You can download it here.

This Code of Conduct sets out the principles and standards with respect to safeguarding and anti-discrimination that are expected of any person who applies for, is granted and/or uses an accreditation device at a FIFA competition. All applicants must confirm their absolute commitment to the values reflected in the Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination Code of Conduct and shall at all times abide by the provisions set out therein. Applicants must also declare to have never been convicted of a sexual or other violent offence against a child, young person or adult at risk, nor ever been disqualified or barred in any country from working with such individuals. The Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination Code of Conduct offers very specific information on what is expected of everyone holding a FIFA accreditation in terms of behaviour and what behaviours will not be tolerated during a FIFA Competition. It also specifies the consequences of failing to abide by it.

A safeguarding concern is when worries exist about the safety or well-being of a person because of something that is seen or heard, or information received by other means. It means a worry which needs to be reported. Concerns may be about actual harm or abuse or they may be about situations that increase the risk of harm or abuse happening in the future. More specifically, all breaches to the FIFA Safeguarding and Anti-discrimination Code of Conduct shall be considered concerns and will be acted upon when reported. Remember that when it comes to harassment, abuse, neglect or exploitation LACK OF ACTION IS NOT AN OPTION.

We understand that voicing concerns, suspicions or allegations of misconduct in football can cause worry and stress – particularly if it affects you personally or if it relates to a child. However, reporting is vital in order to prevent someone from suffering harm or being at risk of further harm, and to ensure that the concern is dealt with properly and consistently. We all have a duty to report abuse in football and, in many countries around the world, adults are obliged by law to report suspicions of child abuse to the authorities. Remember that you do not have to be sure abuse has happened nor should you initiate your own investigation. Any person who reports possible wrongdoing(s) or grounds for concern in good faith (meaning providing all the information you know) will receive full support from FIFA, even if the allegation is subsequently proved to be unfounded by the independent Ethics Committee or by the local authorities. If you are suffering harassment, abuse, neglect or exploitation in the context of this competition we want to help you. You can report your concerns using one of the reporting channels provided. If you know of someone, especially a child or adult at risk, suffering or at risk of suffering harassment, abuse, neglect or exploitation in the context of this competition we ask you to report to us using one of the reporting channels provided, so we can help.