The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is proud to announce the launch of an online training initiative using content created by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The training program will educate member federations as part of IFAF’s commitment to the safeguarding and welfare of athletes and all involved in American football.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport is a leader in sport abuse prevention and is the nation’s only independent organization dedicated to ending sexual, emotional, and physical abuse in the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic sport. The Center also serves as an educational resource for sports organizations at all levels, from recreational sports to professional leagues.

Through the online training initiative, each of IFAF’s member federations’ Lead Officers will be SafeSport® Core Trained. The online courses cover the skills needed to help recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse and misconduct. Further, additional training programs will be provided to personnel who travel with national teams to IFAF championships.

Welcoming the collaboration, IFAF Managing Director Andy Fuller said: “We are delighted to announce that IFAF will make available to our members the U.S. Center for SafeSport abuse prevention training. Access to the Center’s online education will provide our members with key tools to enhance their safeguarding practices and help them deliver a safe, inclusive, and welcoming sport for players, coaches, and staff at all levels of the game.”

“The U.S. Center for SafeSport’s data-informed abuse prevention training programs are rooted in prevention practices that work,” Ju’Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport said. “We welcome IFAF’s commitment to proactively educating their federations and their efforts to support athlete and staff safety by opting into our training program.”

Since 2017, the Center has delivered more than 5 million online courses. As a result, 90 percent of learners said they feel more prepared to protect athletes.

The International Federation of American Football (IFAF) is the international governing body for the sport of American football and is responsible for all regulatory, competition, performance and development aspects of the game on a global level.