Athletes fight child abuse in sports with new initiative

Women and Men against Child Abuse (WMACA) yesterday launched the athletes against child abuse initiative which created awareness and education in safeguarding children in the sports environment.

WMACA founder Miranda Jordan said the initiative aimed at addressing abuse in sports but also holding people who harm children through sport accountable.

Jordan urged the government to make the national registrar for sex offenders’ public and said it would help prevent previous sexual offenders from working with children in the future.

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She also said the registrar must be updated regularly so people who were convicted but do not appear on the list should not slip through the loopholes.

“If the sexual offenders registrar is made public, it would be a great tool to save many children from that person who is applying to be a coach,” she said.

According to child rights organisation advocacy manager Luke Lamprecht, it takes less than two days to get a criminal background check when someone is applying to be a coach.

But it takes more than two years to get the criminal sexual offenders registrar.

“Abuse in sports destroys the love children have for sports and that is beyond criminal,” said Lamprecht.

“Sports is a social sanction deviance in many ways. We accept things within the sports arena that we do not ordinarily accept within our social constructs.”

He also said coaches found it easy to groom children because they spend a lot of time with them and also touch them during practice, like when they are holding them during a swimming lesson.

WMACA athletes against child abuse cofounder Olivia Jasriel said her story encouraged her to fight against abuse in the sporting fraternity.

Jasriel was sexually assaulted by her former tennis coach, Bob Hewitt, when she was 12 years old.

“As I sit here today, I’m ready to take on this challenge so that no child ever has to endure what I have endured. I want to make the sports environment safe,” said a tearful Jasriel.

Several athletes stood in solidarity with the initiative, including former Banyana Banyana football player Simphiwe Dludlu, Springbok rugby player Babalwa Latsha and AmaZulu football club coach Benni McCarthy.

Latsha said many fellow athletes allow things they do not feel comfortable with to happen just to be part of the team or not to be denied opportunities.