In her work with the International Olympic Committee Kirsty has authored the IOC Athlete Safeguarding Toolkit (2017); co-authored the IOC Mental Health Toolkit (2021); assumes the role of IOC Deputy Safeguarding Officer at Games-time; and is leading the implementation of the IOC's Safe Sport strategy and accompanying initiatives. Kirsty is an Academic Director of the IOC Certificate: Safeguarding Officer in Sport programme and already a member of the Council of Europe’s pool of experts established within Pro Safe Sport+ project. Previously Managing Director of Sports rights Solutions, her published works include peer-reviewed articles, reports, and contributions to publications (e.g. the Routledge Handbook of Athlete Welfare). Kirsty holds a Master’s in Management, Law and Humanities of sport, a Bachelors in Physiotherapy (1st class honours) and is a PhD student in Safe Sport and athlete human rights at Canterbury Christ Church University.

Main (personal/organisational) achievements in the field of safe sport

• Strengthening safeguarding across the Olympic Movement is now a strategic priority of the IOC under recommendation 5 of Olympic Agenda 2020+5 (recommendation 5)
• Development of the IOC Safe Sport Action Plan 2021-2024
• Launch of the IOC Certificate: Safeguarding Officer in Sport – which aims to equip safeguarding officers / focal points with the knowledge and skills to both prevent and appropriately respond to incidents of harassment and abuse in sport.
• IOC Athlete Safeguarding Toolkit and accompanying webinar series’ saw and increase from 1 IF on the Summer and Winter Olympic Programmes having safeguarding policies and procedures in place, to over 28 International Federations on the Summer and Winter Programmes to having policies in place
• Implementation of the IOC Athlete Safeguarding Games-time Framework at the Olympic and Youth Olympic Games, and complimentary educational campaigns and initiatives

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I am Senior Ministerial Advisor in the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture. During my twenty-year career in ministries (Ministry for Foreign Affairs and the already mentioned), I have worked in several departments and units but always been involved with issues concerning human rights and international cooperation.

I have been working in my current position on international cooperation and ethics in sport since 2010. I am a member of the Governing Board of the Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport (EPAS), the Monitoring Group of the Anti-Doping Convention (T-DO), the Ad Hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency (CAHAMA).

Main (personal/organisational) achievements in the field of safe sport

• Sport Act aims to promote equality, ethics and integrity, sustainability and growth and development of children and young people
• The aims of the Act are prerequisite for public financing to sport organisations
• Sustainability criteria for organisations (affecting the amount of the grant for organisations) include safe and healthy environment, good governance and plans for gender equality and diversity plan, for environment sustainability and for antidoping
• The Ministry finances research on the field as well as You are not alone – service for those facing inappropriate behaviour, harassment and bullying in sport. The service does also arrange education for sport stakeholders
• Ministry’s Advisory Board of Sport Ethics coordinates and gives recommendations on the ethical questions of sport. It has given positions on safeguarding children in sport and safe and healthy training of children and young people among other things. The members of the Board represent several ministries, athletes, several sport organisations, FINCIS, Save the Children, Human Rights League and LGBTI Rights in Finland

Attaché Education, Youth, Culture and Sport to the Luxembourg Permanent Representation to the European Union and adviser International and European affairs for the Luxembourg Ministry of Sports. Chair of EPAS (Enlarged Partial Agreement on Sport) and of CAHAMA (Ad hoc European Committee for the World Anti-Doping Agency). Member of the CoE Pool of International Experts on Safe Sport.

Main (personal/organisational) achievements in the field of safe sport

• Coordinator and writer of the EU Council's Expert Group report and recommendations "on the protection of young athletes and safeguarding children's rights in sport" (2016)
• Expert for the PRO SAFE SPORT+ EU-CoE joint project
• Member of the i-Protect project platform for the Protection of Children in Sport funded by European Commission
• Expert in the Pool of European Experts on Sexual Violence in Sport (CoE)
• Speaker for several conferences on the topic of child protection in sport

I am the Research and Project Department Director at the National Olympic Committee from Portugal. Previously I was working as a sociologist and Senior officer at the Portuguese Institute of Youth and Sport (IPDJ) – the national governmental organisation responsible for sport and youth. I have over 20 years of experience as responsible for projects in training and qualification and international relations in sport (spectator violence, sport vocational education and qualifications, gender equality, child safeguarding).

I was a member of the Interdepartmental Equality Team of the Portuguese Presidency of the Council of Ministers and represented Portugal in several European Commission and Council of Europe expert groups. I was also assistant professor at the Faculty of Human Motricity and the Lusophone University of Humanities and Technologies.

I am a Phd candidate in sociology and, in my spare time, the founder of a gymnastics club where I now hold the position of President of the General Assembly.

Main (personal/organisational) achievements in the field of safe sport

• National coordinator of the “Pro Safe Sport” project and the “Start to talk” campaign
• Organizer of Start to Talk roadshow (awareness raising actions at the local level) supported by production of translated training kit, flyer and postal, video, web page
• Promoter of the "Violence off-game" pilot project, in partnership with the Benfica Foundation, for capacity building of all those involved in youth sport in Benfica sports community, on combat and prevention of sexual violence in sport
• National coordinator of “Child Safeguarding in Sport” EU-CoE joint project

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For over 20 years, I have been a passionate advocate for the rights of children and participants of all ages to be free to enjoy taking part in sport in a safe environment, free from harassment and abuse. My work has always been practical and policy-driven. This was a natural development of my professional work as an NHS General Practitioner in the UK into my sport interests. As Lead Welfare Officer (LWO) for SnowsportGB, the British National Governing Body for snow sports, from 2004 on I worked with the Child Protection in Sport Unit and other National Governing Bodies (NGB) to develop safeguarding policies and procedures. I coordinated and managed employment checks, and undertook case management, working with police and social services.

I provided safeguarding education within my NGB, and then also within the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS), where I introduced and continue to contribute to the development of Prevention of Harassment and Abuse in Sport (PHAS) policies.

Main (personal/organisational) achievements in the field of safe sport

• Development of principles of Safe Sport in my National Governing Body in the UK (Lead Welfare Officer 2004-2010), and then in the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS); and drafting Safeguarding Policies & Procedures
• 2017-2023 Lead Welfare Officer for FIS
• In 2017 I led a small working group to develop PHAS policies for FIS, both general and for events; I continue to promote safe sport at my various committees in FIS (Children, Medical)
• Seminars for Education on and Promotion of safe sport to 130+ members
• Co-author, with Prof Margo Mountjoy, of a chapter devoted to PHAS in the textbook ‘Clinical Sports Medicine’ (2018/2019)
• Speaker at the Safe Sport International (SSI) Congress in 2018 and member of the SSI Advisory Board from 2019
• Providing feedback in development of IOC PHAS Toolkit in 2017, and taking part as a presenter in two IOC educational courses, in 2019 and 2021.

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