Promoting a change in culture: How sport safety research informs policy and practice Speakers: Stephanie Radziszewski, Kirsty Burrows, Nelson Valsoni, Liz Twyford, Tine Vertommen Ensuring safe sport environments is a collective responsibility, requiring collaboration among researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners from grassroots to international arenas. This symposium will examine strategies to enhance the impact of safe sport research on policies that protect athlete welfare and promote a culture of integrity. A panel of experts—including Nelson Valsoni (Compliance officer at the Brazilian Olympic Committee), Liz Twyford (Sports Programmes Specialist at UNICEF UK), Kirsty Burrows (Head of Safe Sport at the International Olympic Committee), and Dr. Tine Vertommen (Safe sport consultant and Research Lead at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences) will share insights from their work across national and international organizations. They will explore how research has informed their safeguarding approaches, focusing on three critical questions: (1) What constitutes rigorous, actionable, and contextually relevant research for policy development? (2) How can researchers stay attuned to policy and practice needs? (3) What frameworks and practices can strengthen collaboration between researchers, sports organizations, and policy-makers? The panel will also address gaps in safe sport research, emphasizing how future research can address emerging policy and practice needs. By identifying research priorities, this session will outline opportunities to reinforce evidence-based practices that lead to meaningful policies and sustainable interventions, driving cultural change in sport that prioritizes safety and integrity.

Paving the way: Future directions in safe sport research Speakers: Ashley Stirling, Melanie Lang, Jeannine Ohlert