Safe Sport

WRC recognizes the importance of creating a safe environment and developing a culture of trust in the sport system. This is why our organization is undertaking the means to further safe sport for our stakeholders. As an Abuse-Free Sport signatory, we acknowledge that adopting this universal code of conduct is an important step to ensure a nationally consistent and appropriate administration of complaints in sport.

Wheelchair Rugby Canada has adopted the Canadian Safe Sport Program (CSSP), which is in effect as of April 1, 2025.

Through the CSSP Rules, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) independently administers the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) for federally funded, national-level sport organizations by receiving and responding to reports of prohibited behaviour, and by developing and carrying out education, prevention, and policy activities.

The CSSP Rules clearly and publicly set out how that will be done, including defined timelines at each stage of the reporting process. The CSSP also offers support services to connect participants with help along the way. 

For more information about the CSSP and the UCCMS, click here. 

How to report

As of April 1, the CCES will accept reports through an online report form and by phone – both methods allow you to remain anonymous if you wish. If you choose to share your name when you make a report, the CCES will not share it with your sport organization unless it is necessary to keep you or someone else safe, and will make every effort to get your consent beforehand.

Report online: https://cces.ca/report-safe-sport

Report by phone: 1-866-971-CSSP (2777)  

Get help and information

You can contact the CSSP team with questions or for support here: https://cces.ca/contactCSSP. 

Complete your e-learning

Wheelchair Rugby Canada will notify all designated participants who are subject to the CSSP. This includes, but is not limited to, specified athletes, board members, employees, casual staff, volunteers, and contractors, support staff, and medical staff.

Everyone who is subject to the CSSP must complete the e-learning course and sign the participant consent form. Wheelchair Rugby Canada will distribute an invitation that includes a link to sign up, instructions, and a code to access the course from the CCES online education portal. If you have questions about your education requirements, email education@cces.ca.

Safe Sport is a collective responsibility. By reporting concerns of maltreatment in sport, you are contributing to building a safer sport environment.

Complaints that do not violate the UCCMS are managed through an independent third party. 

An independent third party is an individual external to Wheelchair Rugby who is responsible for providing expert, objective, external facilitation of complaints in accordance with Wheelchair Rugby’s safe sport policies.   

Wheelchair Rugby has retained Sport Dispute Management Inc. led by Jahmiah Ferdinand-Hodkin (she/her) to provide the independent third-party services to Wheelchair Rugby’s community.  Any individual who has witnessed, experienced, or received information regarding maltreatment of any kind can contact Jahmiah for information about the complaint process (complaints@sportdispute.com) or submit a complaint online.   

For more information regarding Sport Dispute Management and the complaint process, please see their website here. 

When reporting a complaint through the independent third party process, you can expect that:

• All reports will be kept entirely confidential, in line with the wishes of the person making the complaint. This includes confidentiality from Wheelchair Rugby Canada staff.
• The complaint will be followed up on in a timely manner.
• The Independent Third Party is available to support persons making a complaint through the process and will provide information on each step of the process.
• All complaints will be taken seriously, and rigorously examined.
• The complaint will be managed in a trauma informed manner.
• All complaints will be managed in French or English, according to your preference.

Should any complaint or concern come to the attention of Wheelchair Rugby Canada, it will be forwarded to the Independent Third Party.

Wheelchair Rugby Canada believes that everyone in the sport has the right to enjoy the sport at whatever level or position they participate. Athletes, staff, coaches, officials, classifiers, and volunteers have the right to participate in a safe and inclusive training and competitive environment that is free of abuse, harassment, or discrimination.