Ministry of Youth and Sports Announces Campaign to Prevent Violence and Bullying in Sports

During a recent press conference, Serhiy Tymofiev, the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, announced the initiation of a new information campaign designed to combat violence and bullying in the sports sector. This initiative is the result of collaborative efforts from an interdepartmental working group established on March 5, which includes representatives from central executive authorities, the Office of the Prosecutor General, the National Police, public organizations, and the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Rehabilitation.

Tymofiev emphasized that the primary goal of the campaign is not to punish coaches, but to create clear mechanisms for responding to instances of violence. 'We would like to establish a response algorithm, mechanisms for where and how individuals can report incidents,' he stressed. This reflects the Ministry's intention to ensure a safe environment for children and youth within sports clubs.

A significant focus of the campaign will be on educating children and working with coaches. 'Through this campaign, we want to teach children how to respond to the challenges they face during training concerning the actions of their coaches, and we will also work further with coaches to help them understand what they should not do regarding their charges,' Tymofiev noted. This entails training children on how to react to inappropriate behavior from coaches and whom to report such behavior to.

Additionally, Tymofiev mentioned that a new sports law is currently being developed, aimed at enhancing the role of sports clubs as public organizations. 'This model will allow the community to independently choose coaches and respond more swiftly to their inappropriate behavior,' he explained. A separate focus will be the creation of a monitoring and reporting system for violations of children's rights in sports, including the possibility of anonymous complaints.

Among other planned measures within the campaign are the development of effective mechanisms to prevent individuals with a history of violence against children from working with minors, training specialists, and conducting an information campaign that will encompass all levels of the sports environment.

Darja Gerasymchuk, the Presidential Commissioner for Children's Rights and Rehabilitation, highlighted that the campaign involves comprehensive educational efforts targeting various audiences. 'The first category is parents. Parents need to understand what they should communicate to their children when sending them to interact with another adult,' she pointed out. It is also crucial to educate children so that they know what is not normal, how to react to it, whom to tell, and why they should not be afraid to speak about violence.

Gerasymchuk also emphasized the necessity of working with coaches to ensure they understand how their behavior can impact a child's psyche. 'Coaches must realize that their actions or words can cause serious harm,' she underscored. She also noted that one of the key challenges remains the fear of reporting violence. 'Currently, we see the biggest problem where both children and adults are genuinely afraid, and parents are hesitant to discuss it,' Gerasymchuk added.

Participants in the press conference stressed that the launch of the 'Sport Without Violence' campaign is merely the first step towards systemic changes aimed at making Ukrainian sports safe for children and youth. It is important to note that educational ombudswoman Nadia Leshchik commented to Ukrinform that educational institutions often try to avoid publicizing cases of bullying, which can harm children. The number of reports regarding bullying to the Educational Ombudsman Service is increasing, indicating the relevance of this issue.

Thus, the information campaign that is set to launch is expected to be a significant step in the fight against violence in sports and in ensuring the safety of children and youth in Ukraine. It aims not only to raise awareness about the problem but also to change societal attitudes towards it, urging citizens not to be indifferent to violence.