Policies & Resources

Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS)

The UCCMS is the core document that sets harmonized rules that have been adopted by Canadian National Sport Organizations and Multi-Sport Service Organizations. The goal of the UCCMS is to advance a respectful sport culture that delivers quality, inclusive, accessible, welcoming and safe sport experiences.

The UCCMS addresses:

common principles and a commitment to advance a respectful sport culture;
standard definitions of various forms of maltreatment, including grooming, neglect, and physical, sexual, and psychological maltreatment;
a list of other prohibited behaviour such as retaliation, failure to report maltreatment, intentionally filing false allegations, misuse of power, etc.; and
a framework for determining appropriate sanctions against such prohibited behaviour.

The UCCMS is administered at the National Level by Abuse-Free Sport, a program created by the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC) according to the mandate it received from the Government of Canada, for preventing and addressing maltreatment in sport. SDRCC is a non-for-profit organization created under the Physical Activity and Sport Act (S.C. 2003, c.2).

An interactive resource introduces core concepts of the UCCMS is available here: INTRODUCTION TO THE UCCMS.

The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC) is a functionally independent division of the SDRCC and is responsible to administer the UCCMS and relevant aspects of Abuse-Free Sport.