WDSF Safeguarding Policy and Appointment of WDSF Safeguarding Officer, Isabelle Tay 16/10/2023

On October 9, 2023, the WDSF Presidium adopted the WDSF Safeguarding Policy to protect athletes and members from sexual harassment and abuse within DanceSport.

The development and adoption of the policy is part of the fulfillment of the requirement from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for all Olympic Sports Federations to develop safeguarding within their respective sports.

The WDSF Safeguarding Policy is based on the following two principles that form a safe and inclusive sport:

1.1    Equal Rights
All Protected Persons, regardless of their sex, race, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious beliefs, political affiliation or ability, have the right to be treated with respect and dignity, and without any form of discrimination.

1.2    Safe Environment
All Protected Persons have the right to participate in DanceSport in a safe environment, free from harassment and abuse.

The development of the Policy included numerous rounds of reviews from the IOC Safe Sport Unit, WDSF Presidium, and WDSF Legal Department, and was spearheaded by WDSF Safeguarding Officer, Isabelle Tay.

The Policy is presented in two parts: the WDSF Safeguarding Policy  – which includes the definitions of various forms of harassment and abuse, scope and applicable law – and the WDSF Safeguarding Procedures, which details case management, acceptable conduct around children, disciplinary sanctions, and victim-centered support. Due to the critical nature of the issue of harassment and abuse in sports, the work on safeguarding is ongoing, and the policy will be under review periodically.

The WDSF strongly recommends all National Member Bodies to implement a Safeguarding Policy in their local contexts, and Safeguarding Officer Isabelle Tay will be available to support this development.

Additionally, all WDSF Officials are recommended to be familiar with the policies as future license examinations will include topics on safeguarding.

Isabelle Tay was appointed Safeguarding Officer following a review by both the WDSF Presidium and the Ethics Board of the International Olympic Committee. On 4th September 2023, she officially received her certification from the IOC Diploma: Safeguarding Officer in Sports program at the Olympic House in Lausanne. This diploma course included a one-year long rigorous course on safeguarding and examinations. Isabelle’s successful application to the program was based on relevant experiences in her background. She has numerous years of experience as a high-performing DanceSport athlete, coach, competition co-organizer, and has attained both a Master’s degree in Psychology, and Ph.D. in Education (Developmental and Psychological Sciences) from Stanford University. Her doctoral research focused on resilience and psychological well-being among athletes and the general population.

For safeguarding issues, including the assistance in obtaining resources for the development of relevant policies on a national level, you may contact Isabelle at [email protected].

Isabelle will also be on duty as Safeguarding Officer at WDSF Breaking for Gold Olympic Qualifier events and at the Olympic Games in Paris 2024.