The protection of minors in sport, from precautionary suspensions to the training of officials and coaches, was at the heart of an address by Secretary of State for Sport Rossano Fabbri at the 19th Conference of Ministers responsible for Sport of the Council of Europe, held on 4 November in the Principality of Monaco.
“Sport must be a place where children learn to push their limits, not a place where their rights are violated,” Fabbri declared, presenting the measures adopted by San Marino and the outlook for the reform of the sporting system, currently under examination by the Grand and General Council (Consiglio Grande e Generale).
Hosted at the Grimaldi Forum, the Conference was dedicated to the theme “Safer and Healthier Sport for All Children.”
The proceedings, opened by Prince Albert II of Monaco and the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset, brought together institutional representatives and experts to discuss the prevention of abuse, physical and mental health, and the protection of young athletes.
In his address, Fabbri referred to Law No. 115 of 23 September 2025, dedicated to combating gender-based violence and abuse of minors in sport.
As the statement from the Secretariat of State explains, “The measure introduced a system of precautionary suspension from sporting and managerial activity for individuals convicted at first instance to a custodial sentence of no less than one year, for offences related to gender-based violence and abuse of minors.”
The law thus links decisions by the ordinary justice system to protective measures within sporting organizations.
“The innovative scope of the law also lies in the relationship between ordinary justice and the sporting system: a conviction handed down by the ordinary judicial authority triggers precautionary consequences within the sporting organization, without having to wait for the sentence to become final,” the statement reads.
According to the statement, Fabbri emphasized that the autonomy of sport must be respected, but it cannot take precedence over the dignity, safety, and integrity of individuals, especially the youngest.
This is an issue that also concerns the specific characteristics of the San Marino community, where limited size favours the sharing of spaces and activities among people of different ages and roles.
Alongside the legislative response are the safeguarding policies of the San Marino National Olympic Committee and awareness-raising initiatives developed with the Federations. Fabbri also highlighted the collaboration with Italy’s CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee), through which training programmes have been promoted for officials, coaches, sports operators, and students.
“The challenge,” the Secretary of State stressed, “is to make these guarantees an integral part of everyday sporting life, through continuous training, accessible reporting procedures, adequate responses to situations of risk, and growing attention to the mental health and voice of young athletes,” the Secretariat reports.
In the afternoon session, dedicated to concrete measures, the Secretary of State outlined the reform of San Marino’s sporting system. The project aims to strengthen cooperation between institutions and the sporting movement, as well as support structures for Federations and associations.
Among the proposals is greater participation of the Paralympic movement in sport governance bodies. “The reform provides for the presence of a representative of the Paralympic movement on the Executive Committee, and for giving greater value to activities aimed at people with disabilities when allocating contributions to Federations,” the statement specifies.
Fabbri also stressed the need to ensure training, specialist expertise, and organizational support for associations, including grassroots and smaller ones, while promoting the value of volunteering.
“The safety and the right to sport of every child cannot depend on the size or financial resources of the sporting organization to which they belong,” the statement underlines.
The Conference concluded with the adoption of the ministerial resolution “Safer and Healthier Sport for All Children and Young People,” dedicated to protecting the rights, health, and well-being of children and young people through sport. “Protecting our young people means protecting the future of sport and, through sport, the future of our communities,” Fabbri concluded.
