Across the Pacific sport is a way of life, hence ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all those involved in sport is paramount. Across the Oceania region, safeguarding in sport is gaining momentum, and even more awareness has been created thanks to a dedicated research team at The University of Queensland (UQ).
UQ is collaborating with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on a project to combat interpersonal violence in sport in the Pacific Islands.
Researchers have conducted an extensive feasibility study for the IOC’s Safe Sport Hub Initiative to support the subsequent set up of a regional safeguarding hub in the Pacific Islands.
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The hub will facilitate access to local contextualised support for those experiencing interpersonal or gender-based violence in sport, strengthen localised protection, and improve cooperation and coordination between local sport and non-sport based safeguarding systems and services.
Aligning with existing regional initiatives and key IOC initiatives, the hub will play a critical role in protecting and supporting athletes at a local level.
And with the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games approaching – a Games for the whole Pacific – a spotlight on safeguarding in sport is essential.
Pacific sport leaders emphasise that safeguarding must be understood through a people‑centred lens, recognising the deeply relational nature of sport across Oceania.
Makarita Lenoa is a member of UQ’s Pacific Advisory Council for the IOC Safe Sport Regional Hub initiative, she is also former President of the Fiji National Olympic Committee.
Makarita emphasises that sport in the region must be understood first and foremost as people-centred development and while athletes may be physically unique, Pacific communities are deeply interconnected.
It is often everyday interactions within sporting environments – spoken and unspoken – that determine whether individuals feel safe or unsafe in sport
– Makarita Lenoa, Member of The University of Queensland's Pacific Advisory Council
“This initiative of a Safe Sport Hub in the Pacific will be lifesaving, ensuring peace within and a safe space for athletes, and everyone in sport, to access the appropriate support an individual requires to gather oneself from the experience and effects of interpersonal violence.
“The values and principles embodied by the employees, as well as the service providers of the hub, will consequently be a catalyst for building a safe sport culture across the Oceania region,” she said.
At a Pacific collaboration event hosted by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) late last year, UQ researchers took an opportunity to deepen their stakeholder engagement, speaking with key Pacific sport leaders, some from regions typically hard to access – such as Micronesia.
“We simply don’t have the time or resources to visit every nation,” said Professor John Cairney, Director of the Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies and Head of the School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences.
“The SIA Pacific Collaboration Days allowed us to run focus groups and interviews that are central to our stakeholder consultation. These sessions are helping us uncover the lived experiences of people in the region and provide deeper insights that desktop research alone could never reveal.”
Understanding the Landscape of Violence in Sport
The Pacific region faces unique and complex challenges when it comes to safeguarding. From remote island nations with limited infrastructure to deeply rooted cultural norms, the landscape is vast and varied.
Violence in sport – particularly gender-based violence and abuse – remains a pressing issue, often underreported and poorly understood.
Makarita notes that for many Pacific communities, geographic isolation and limited access to services compound the harm of interpersonal violence in sport.
“The sporting environment can and has the potential to nurture interpersonal violence,” she said.
“With the IOC’s foresight to establish a Safe Sport Hub in the Pacific, it is not only a great initiative but it demonstrates commitment to duty of care for athletes, support personnel and the people of the Pacific, who due to the remoteness of where they reside or the lack of resources, have to bear the burden of interpersonal violence silently, or give up sport completely.”
Professor Cairney said his research team is trying to understand the nature of the problem while also unlocking potential solutions.
“Some of the data we need simply doesn’t exist yet. We’re hearing stories that are heartbreaking and illuminating, and they’re helping us build a clearer picture of what safeguarding needs to look like in this context.”
The study is not just about identifying risks; it’s about building trust and respecting cultural diversity. With over 800 distinct language groups in Papua New Guinea alone, a one-size-fits-all approach is not viable.
Western safeguarding models often fail to resonate in communities where traditions, customs and social structures differ significantly.
“We must be respectful and mindful of the traditions and cultures of the peoples we’re working with; it’s not about imposing solutions; it’s about co-designing them with Pacific stakeholders – it’s about lending our resources and expertise to find solutions that are Pacific-led and implemented,” Professor Cairney said.
SIA Senior Safeguarding Advisor, Katie Hodges, has worked in the Pacific in previous roles and is familiar with some of the challenges faced in implementing safeguarding policies, protocols and procedures in the Oceania region.
As athletes and major sporting events regularly traverse Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, it is vital there is understanding of safeguarding in sport taking greater account of culture, tradition and social structures
– Katie Hodges, Senior Safeguarding Advisor, Sport Integrity Australia
The project is one SIA is watching closely in terms of sport diplomacy and strengthening integrity frameworks across the Pacific, particularly as we inch closer to Brisbane 2032.
Creating Culturally Safe Spaces for Sport
For Pacific leaders, cultural safety in sport is inseparable from identity, community and collective wellbeing.
“This initiative is a beacon of hope in providing much required support to athletes and support personnel at their local community level, while embracing our cultural diversities as Pacific Islanders, and protecting our collective interests in, and the love for sport,” Makarita said.
A key goal of the Safe Sport Regional Hub initiative is to foster environments where sport can be a safe, empowering force for good. This means going beyond sport governance and engaging broader civil society – legal systems, NGOs, community leaders, and international organisations like UN Women.
“Sport is a powerful vehicle for change,” Professor Cairney noted.
Pacific Islanders love their sport, and if we can embed safeguarding principles within sport, it can ripple through communities and help drive broader social change.
– Professor John Cairney, Director of the Queensland Centre for Olympic and Paralympic Studies
However, the pathway from grassroots participation to high performance in the Pacific is often narrow and informal. This makes young athletes particularly vulnerable, especially when they travel to Australia, New Zealand, or other countries for training and/or competition.
“We have a strong moral and ethical responsibility to ensure that every athlete who comes here from the Pacific has the safest experience possible,” Professor Cairney said.
“Brisbane 2032 is a Games for the whole Pacific, and that gives this work even greater urgency.”
Next Steps and the Road to Brisbane 2032
With the feasibility study nearing completion, all parties are keen to see this work continue well beyond this initial phase to ensure sport can be a safe and inclusive environment across the region.
“The credibility of this work depends on our ability to act as honest brokers,” Professor Cairney emphasised.
“We must ensure that Pacific stakeholders are leading this work and that their voices are front and centre in the decision-making process.”
Funding remains a key question, with the IOC exploring philanthropic avenues to support implementation. But the foundation is being laid for a transformative shift in how sport is practiced and protected across the Oceania region.
“This initiative is more than a feasibility study – it’s a movement toward a safer, more inclusive sporting future. It’s about listening, learning and leading together,” Professor Cairney said.
Further information about the Safe Sport Regional Hub initiative can be found on the UQ website:
or the IOC website: