The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is strongly committed to Australian sport environments that are safe and supportive.

We have zero tolerance for any behaviour that puts the wellbeing of people in the Australian sporting community at risk, including bullying, sexual harassment or assault.

And we are continually working to ensure that athletes, staff and others in our care have appropriate protection and support.

As part of this work, we are implementing a specific policy for Responding to Sexual Misconduct, available here: ASC Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct Policy.

This policy builds on current protocols and procedures, including our Code of Conduct, and ensures that the ASC has a framework in place – supported by specialist external service providers – to respond to incidents of sexual misconduct while under the ASC’s care and provide the appropriate support to those involved.

Understanding that primary prevention of such incidents is critical, the ASC is also undertaking an internal audit of our current operations and culture against child safety standards. This audit is being coordinated in partnership with an independent, external service provider and will guide our work to ensure that we have a safe and supportive environment now and into the future.

We recognise that much has changed in regard to expectations, education and awareness about these matters over time, and that support mechanisms like we have today did not always exist historically. In this context, we encourage anyone impacted by sexual misconduct while under the care of the AIS or ASC to contact the telephone helpline to access confidential support services.

The ASC has made important progress in improving our sporting environments and our support for athlete wellbeing in recent years, and is committed to continual improvement.

We care about Australian athletes and sport. We are committed to providing a safe and positive environment, and we are committed to providing support to those who need it.

If you would like to read more about our policies, please find the document here: ASC Preventing and Responding to Sexual Misconduct Policy.