Magdeburg (dpa/sa) – Saxony-Anhalt’s Sports Minister Tamara Zieschang sees a new contact point for those affected by violence in sports supported by the federal and state governments as an important step in tackling such cases openly. “Precisely because club sport has such an important social function, it is important to be careful,” said the CDU politician on Friday. “Cases of violence must be uncovered and those affected must not feel helpless and left alone.” Frightening cases of psychological, physical and sexualised violence are not only found in top-level sport, but also in popular sport.
The new Safe Sport contact point offers help and advice completely independent of organized sport. The federal and state governments founded the supporting association for the new contact point on the sidelines of the sports ministers’ conference in Mainz. From the beginning of 2023, it is to offer initial psychological and legal advice for athletes who have been victims of psychological, physical and sexualized violence, according to the Ministry of the Interior. Based on this, a Safe Sport center should be created. The federal and state governments financed the contact point jointly.
