WCL would like to thank all the participants who attended one of the Safe Sport Town Halls in late November. Four sessions were held with officials, athletes, coaches and PTSOs & clubs with the goal of collecting additional feedback on the content and implementation of the Safe Sport Policy Manual. The discussions were open, insightful, respectful and advanced our shared goals related to Safe Sport.

 Dr. Frank Fowlie, WCL’s newly appointed Complaints & Appeal Officer, participated at the start of each town hall to introduce himself and explain his role. He provided clarity on how a complaint will be handled and talked about his independence and impartiality. For more information on Dr. Fowlie’s role visit our Safe Sport page. https://wrestling.ca/safe-sport/

 Steve Indig, a lawyer with the Sport Law & Strategy Group, talked about the broader context of Safe Sport in Canada and explained how the current draft of the Safe Sport Policy Manual was created. He also clarified some legal issues related to the town hall discussion topics: jurisdiction, complaints management, relationships, consumption of alcohol & cannabis, and policy implementation.

 From the feedback that was received, we are nearing consensus on important details related to jurisdiction, complaints management and appeals, but recognize that there are other policy components that need further review. WCL is now in the process of completing a debrief from the town halls, including consideration for an additional town hall in the new year. Please contact the Executive Director ([email protected]) with any requests or suggestions.