WAIS recognises there are unsafe and/or unethical practices available to achieve higher levels of athletic performance. It also recognises the pursuit of athletic success at an international level requires an approach that embraces new and emerging knowledge, technology, product, and practice. Therefore, WAIS maintains and manages its operations in accordance with our Safe and Ethical Practice Policy Framework, to ensure athlete health and wellbeing are always our primary concern.
Above all, WAIS will act in the best interests of athlete health, wellbeing, and safety.
Elevating Athlete Care
WAIS is committed to learning from both its own experiences and implementing best practice principles to deliver its commitment to Athlete Care. On 20 April 2022 Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) released its Report of the review of historic allegations of athlete abuse and mistreatment in the Western Australian Institute of Sport Women’s Artistic Gymnastics (WAG) Program which operated between 1988 and 2016. Information about WAIS’ actions in response to the SIA WAIS Women’s Gymnastics Program Report can be accessed here.
Updates
A six-monthly published update is a commitment made by WAIS to keep stakeholders informed of progress under the SIA WAG Report recommendations.
Child Safeguarding
At WAIS, it is mandatory for all staff across all departments to have a valid working with children check. This requirement ensures the protection of children and emphasises that child safety is a responsibility shared by the entire community and aligns to our guiding principles of acting in the best interest of athletes’ health, wellbeing and safety.
WAIS Child Safe Commitment Statement:
All children and young people have a right to be and feel safe.
In pursuit of their high-performance sporting aspirations, children and young people and their families place their trust in WAIS. WAIS is committed to the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of all children and young people involved in our organisation. Everybody at WAIS is responsible for working together to proactively address risks to child safety and continuously improve our child safe culture and practices.
WAIS has a 100% commitment to child protection and the physical and psychological safety of children and young people. All allegations, disclosures and concerns will be treated seriously and responded to immediately, consistent with our policies and procedures.
Participant Protection and Confidential Support
Athletes, and parents/guardians of underage athletes, and staff can query or raise concerns in a strictly confidential manner to the WAIS Integrity and Safeguarding Manager integrity@wais.org.au
WAIS athletes are also able to seek independent and confidential advice and support through the AIS Be Heard service.