TTFA & UWI commemorate Safe Sport Day
TTFA and UWI Commemorate Safe Sport Day 2026 with Call for Collective Action to Protect Athletes
The Trinidad and Tobago Football Association in Collaboration with the University of the West commemorated Safe Sport Day 2026 with a powerful call for athletes, coaches, parents, administrators, clubs, organisations and communities to take collective responsibility for creating safe, inclusive and athlete-centred sporting environments.
Held at the TTFA Technical Centre, Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva, the commemoration was held under the theme:
“Stand Up. Speak Out. Play Your Part.”
The event brought together stakeholders from across the sporting, social services, education, legal and athlete wellbeing sectors to raise awareness of safeguarding, abuse prevention, athlete wellbeing and the shared responsibility to protect participants in sport.
The programme featured presentations, expert discussions and two multidisciplinary panel discussions focused on strengthening the culture of safety within sport.
The Children’s Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, represented by Mrs. Danielle Gellizeau, Acting General Manager/Deputy Director, Child and Family Reintegration Services, addressed participants on recognising signs of abuse in children and appropriate responses to safeguarding concerns.
Her contribution reinforced the importance of early recognition, responsible reporting and ensuring that children participating in sport are surrounded by adults and systems capable of protecting their welfare.
The commemoration also featured Dr. Cheryl-Ann Boodram, Sport Social Work Specialist, Researcher and Lecturer at UWI St. Augustine, who presented research findings on Safe Sport in Trinidad and Tobago, providing an important evidence-based perspective on the country’s safeguarding landscape.
Creating Safe and Inclusive Sporting Environments
The first panel, “Creating Safe, Inclusive and Child-Centred Sporting Environments,” brought together former athlete and sport administrator Ms. Kwanieze John, social worker and parent of an athlete Mrs. Gemma Allsop-Calliste, and Mr. Ferdinand Bibey, National Director of Special Olympics Trinidad and Tobago.
The discussion examined safe sport from the perspectives of athletes, parents and persons working to ensure inclusion for children with disabilities. Particular attention was placed on the role of parents, partnerships with coaches and the need to ensure that sporting environments are genuinely inclusive and safe for every child.
Athlete Wellbeing and Safeguarding: Everyone Has a Role
The second panel, “Play Your Part: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Athlete Wellbeing and Safeguarding,” highlighted the importance of collaboration across different professional disciplines.
The panel featured Ms. Arlene Paul, Wellbeing Specialist, Team Manager and provider of psychosocial support to athletes; Ms. Renuka Ramoutar, Attorney-at-Law, sports administrator and sports and law advocate; and Mr. Caesar Mitchell, Wellbeing Specialist.
Discussions explored the operational realities of safeguarding, working with coaches and parents, implementation of safeguarding policies, duty of care, legal and reporting obligations, governance and accountability, as well as the importance of prioritising prevention rather than waiting for a crisis to occur.
A Culture of Speaking Up
A significant moment of the commemoration was the Safe Sport Pledge, through which those present collectively committed to playing their part in promoting safer sporting environments.
Speaking at the event, the TTFA Safeguarding, Player Care and Wellbeing Manager Mr. Gary St Rose emphasised the importance of continuing to build systems that allow concerns to be identified, reported and addressed appropriately, while ensuring that athletes—particularly children and young people—can participate in sport in environments built on dignity, respect, inclusion and care.
The TTFA’s Safeguarding, Player Care and Wellbeing Department continues to advance initiatives designed to strengthen safeguarding education, compliance, athlete wellbeing and the capacity of football stakeholders to respond appropriately to concerns.
Today’s commemoration therefore represents not simply a single day of awareness, but part of a broader commitment to embedding safe sport as a fundamental component of football development and athlete welfare in Trinidad and Tobago.
Stand Up. Speak Out. Play Your Part.
As the TTFA continues its safeguarding journey, the message from Safe Sport Day 2026 is clear:
Protecting athletes is a shared responsibility.
Creating safe sport requires all of us to stand up, speak out and play our part.
