Cricket Canada has been suspended from the Canadian Safe Sport Program by the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport. The suspension was imposed due to Cricket Canada’s failure to comply with the required participant e-learning and consent obligations, as stated by the CCES in an announcement on Wednesday.
Following the closure of the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner on April 1, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport assumed responsibility for overseeing safe sport initiatives in Canada, including managing and investigating complaints and reports of abuse and maltreatment in sports. Since then, the CCES has been collaborating with Cricket Canada to implement the Canadian Safe Sport Program, which mandates that participants complete a 40-minute e-learning module and provide consent to understand their rights and obligations under the program.
According to the CCES, Cricket Canada has not met these essential requirements, leading to notifications being sent to both Cricket Canada and Sport Canada. The CCES emphasized that without fulfilling these foundational obligations, the processing of safe sport reports involving individuals from these organizations may be hindered. These requirements are intended to safeguard all participants and underscore the shared responsibility of the sports community in upholding safe sport standards.
As a result of the suspension, cricket players no longer have access to CCES reporting tools or safeguards and are advised to reach out to Cricket Canada for further guidance. However, if Cricket Canada fulfills the outstanding obligations, the CCES has indicated its intention to reinstate the national sport organization in the Canadian Safe Sport Program, with this information being made public.
Despite attempts to seek comment, Cricket Canada did not respond immediately to an email inquiry.
