Three coaches with ties to Waterloo region identified in abuse-free sports registry

Three coaches with ties to Waterloo region have been identified in a registry aimed at highlighting alleged prohibited behavior in the sport.

The Abuse-Free Sports Register was launched in March and keeps track of someone accused of prohibited behavior, to help organizations avoid that person taking on a similar role in another sport or region.

The Coaching Association of Canada said this is something it has wanted for several years.

“The life cycle of a volunteer is generally between three and five years and it obviously diminishes post-COVID,” said Lorraine Lafrenière, executive director of the Coaching Association of Canada. “By its very nature, it increases the risk of an individual moving from one different sport to another sport, to a different province or territory, to a different level of volunteering. »

The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner investigates complaints of mistreatment, discrimination and other prohibited conduct. Until the process is complete, all investigations are based on unproven allegations.

If it is competent, investigators examine whether provisional measures are justified. Complaints are not limited to the behavior of a coach, but can concern anyone involved in the sport.

“So it’s really about making sure that everyone understands that the rules apply regardless of role,” Lafrenière said.

According to the list, 18 people are subject to provisional measures. Three of them have ties to Waterloo region.

A person from Waterloo affiliated with Taekwondo Canada has been suspended under interim measures. They are being investigated for unproven allegations of mistreatment.

A volleyball coach must be monitored while coaching, as a stopgap measure in cases of unproven allegations of abuse and unproven allegations of prohibited behavior.

A gymnastics coach is monitored while practicing as an interim measure in cases of unproven allegations of mistreatment and unproven allegations of prohibited behavior.

There is also another volleyball coach in the Norfolk area who is being monitored while coaching as part of an interim measure for unproven allegations of abuse and unproven allegations of prohibited behavior.

One problem with the register is that a number of sporting organizations are not in the jurisdiction to be investigated or included in the register.

“It's the same conversation that we have in many jurisdictions, whether it's education, health or security, where we hesitate between provincial territorial jurisdictions and national ones,” said Lafrenière.

“So the current safety net for catching bad actors has a lot of gaps,” Lafrenière said.

The Sport Dispute Resolution Center of Canada said it is aware there are some gaps, but hopes to expand its jurisdictional reach to continue trying to keep vulnerable people safe.