Australia has no independent watchdog with the power to remove abusers from sport. Children and athletes are at risk! It’s time for a National Athlete Safeguarding Act.

The Larry Nassar case in the United States revealed the devastating cost of weak safeguarding systems. Hundreds of gymnasts were abused because no independent authority had the power to act. America responded with the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017, creating an independent watchdog with the power to investigate and sanction abuse across sport.

Australia has no such law!

The Sport Integrity Australia Act (2020) created Sport Integrity Australia, but it did not establish a safeguarding system with enforceable powers. Instead, athlete protection is buried inside the National Integrity Framework (NIF) — a voluntary policy scheme. If sports don’t opt in, nothing applies. Even when they do, Sport Integrity Australia has no legislated power to remove abusers or sanction organisations that fail to protect.

However, lived experience shows that the NIF often protects the reputation of sporting bodies, not the rights of athletes.

The current framework leaves adult athletes excluded from the formal complaints service and children at risk, with institutions free to manage abuse internally instead of perpetrators facing independent sanction!

What Needs to Change

A National Athlete Safeguarding Act would:

Create an independent watchdog with the power to investigate and sanction abuse.
Guarantee protection for all athletes — children and adults alike.

Enshrine trauma-informed complaint pathways that put survivors first.

Bring Australia into line with international best practice and human rights law!

Our Call
We call on the Australian Government to:

1. Commit to introducing a National Athlete Safeguarding Act.
2. Ensure the Act provides universal, enforceable protections for every athlete across Australia.
3. Guarantee independence, accountability, and transparency in safeguarding systems.

Why This Matters

No athlete should suffer in silence. No child should be left at risk because institutions put reputation before safety.

Australia cannot afford to wait for its own Larry Nassar case before acting. The danger is real, the gaps are clear, and the need for a National Athlete Safeguarding Act is urgent.

The greatest danger lies in maintaining the illusion that athletes are safe under a voluntary framework!  It is time to make safe sport a national priority, enforced through legislation and firmly backed by law!

Sign this petition to demand a National Athlete Safeguarding Act today.