Sydney Olympic FC Takes Important Step Towards Creating Safer Sporting Environments
Sydney Olympic Football Club has been awarded funding through the NSW Government’s Game On For Change – Preventing Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence through Sport Program, supporting the club’s commitment to creating safer, more respectful and inclusive sporting environments for women and the wider community.
The funding was announced by NSW Minister for Sport, the Hon. Steve Kamper MP, and will enable Sydney Olympic FC to strengthen respectful, inclusive and gender-equitable leadership practices across all levels of the club.
At the centre of the initiative will be specialised training for Sydney Olympic’s coaches, managers and staff, providing them with the knowledge and tools to recognise and respond to harmful attitudes, language and behaviours while actively building positive team cultures.
Sydney Olympic FC Director Rodolf Salem said the club was proud to be selected for a program that recognises the important role sporting organisations can play in influencing positive attitudes and behaviours.
“Football clubs are about much more than what happens on the pitch. They are communities where people learn about leadership, teamwork, respect and how we treat one another,” Salem said.
“This funding will help us give our coaches and leaders the knowledge and practical skills they need to challenge harmful behaviours, promote equality and ensure everyone connected to Sydney Olympic feels respected, valued and safe.
“We want positive leadership and respectful behaviour to be embedded across every level of the club, from our youngest players through to our senior teams.”
The Game On For Change program aims to empower sporting organisations to play a leading role in preventing domestic, family and sexual violence by addressing the attitudes and behaviours that contribute to violence before they occur.
The program supports sporting organisations to:
- Promote gender equality, respect and inclusion
- Equip coaches, leaders and participants to challenge harmful attitudes and behaviours
- Strengthen positive leadership and active-bystander skills
- Build partnerships between sporting organisations and violence-prevention specialists
- Create lasting cultural change and safer environments for women, girls and the wider community
As part of the funded initiative, Sydney Olympic FC will work alongside Zahia Community Innovators to deliver training and resources for coaches and club leaders, with the program commencing this month.
Salem said the initiative was designed to create meaningful and lasting change rather than being a one-off training exercise.
“This is about building a shared standard of leadership and behaviour that becomes part of the everyday culture of Sydney Olympic FC,” Salem said.
“By supporting our coaches to lead respectful and inclusive teams, we can positively influence players, families and the wider community.”
Zizi Charida from Zahia Community Innovators praised the opportunity to work with Sydney Olympic FC and highlighted the role football clubs can play in creating positive change.
“Sydney Olympic FC is the perfect environment to help build the behaviours and culture behind safer, more respectful and inclusive sporting environments for women,” Charida said.
“Our coaches are important role models. By supporting them to lead respectful and inclusive teams, we can positively influence players, families and the wider community.”
The partnership represents another important step in Sydney Olympic FC’s ongoing commitment to building a football environment where everyone feels safe, valued and included.
