March 11 Coinciding with International Women’s Day and as part of the AFC’s Women’s Football Day last week, the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) organised a Safeguarding Workshop in an effort to fortify safeguarding practices within the game.
By Samindra Kunti in Sydney
August 21 – At the end of a bumper Women’s World Cup and following prolonged consultations, FIFA have still not established a safe sport unit to protect female players from abuse. FIFA’s head of women’s football Sarai Bareman (pictured) however says one will be launched when ready.
January 13 – The Asian Football Confederation has launched its first-ever AFC Child Safeguarding Policy.
January 29 – FIFA has launched a global safeguarding in sport education programme with the aim of building formal safeguarding capacity across football.
January 5 – The UEFA Foundation for Children and Sportradar Intelligence & Investigation Services are marking a three-year safeguarding partnership that reinforces the work carried out by the foundation.
December 15 – In a remarkable interview with the online version of Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper, the disgraced former head of Haiti’s football federation – banned for life for sexual abuse – has launched a passionate defence of his behaviour by accusing FIFA of being corrupt, declaring he is being used as a scapegoat and arguing that he was given only 10 minutes to respond to the sickening accusations against him.
November 27 – The AFC-FIFA Safeguarding Orientation Webinar saw more than 100 participants from 46 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Member Associations participate this week.
May 22 – The issues of safeguarding have been given a significantly upgraded status within the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) which, said the confederation’s Jasmine Ching, is taking big steps to tackle what is a “general lack of systemic awareness and education (at all levels) on child/youth safeguarding” across all Asian sport.
August 21 – Newly promoted Premier League club Aston Villa’s long-serving youth coach and head of football development Kevin MacDonald has been suspended following an investigation into allegations of bullying.
By Andrew Warshaw in Paris
June 7 – Hours before the women’s World Cup was due to kick off in the French capital, Gianni Infantino insisted the tournament would change perceptions about the women’s game for ever. But more importantly the FIFA president missed a vital – some might say essential – opportunity to address the scourge of sexual harassment pervading the game.
By Paul Nicholson in New York
March 28 – The SIGA (Sports Integrity Global Alliance) meetings closed in New York with a meeting of the integrity group’s general assembly and a commitment to grow the association in the US.