Girona City Council presented a new protocol on Tuesday to protect children and teenagers from violence in sport, setting out prevention and response measures for incidents in municipal sports facilities. The document was presented at El Modern and forms part of the council's stated aim of keeping sports spaces safe, respectful and free of violence for minors.

For families, clubs and coaches who use council-run venues in Girona, the immediate consequence is that safeguarding rules are now more clearly defined in the local sports system. The protocol aligns Girona's approach with the framework approved by the Government of Catalonia in 2023 for protecting children and adolescents in sport.

What the new Girona protocol is designed to do

The council describes the protocol as a tool to strengthen both prevention and the response to any situation of violence affecting minors in sport. It applies to the municipal sports setting, where children and teenagers take part in training, matches and other organised activity.

The document is intended to reinforce the prevention of, and response to, any situation of violence in municipal sports facilities, according to Girona City Council.

The wider Catalan framework defines violence in sport broadly. It covers physical, psychological and sexual violence, as well as abuse of power, harassment, discrimination and failures to act when a child may be at risk, according to the Government of Catalonia and the official protocol framework.

  • It sets out prevention measures for sports organisations and facilities.
  • It establishes reporting and response steps when concerns are raised.
  • It is aimed at protecting under-18s who take part in sports activities.

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How Girona's rules fit the Catalan framework

The Government of Catalonia approved a sport-specific child protection framework under Agreement GOV/252/2023. That framework was published by the Secretariat-General for Sport and Physical Activity and the Catalan Sports Council, which is the regional public body responsible for sports policy.

The Catalan protocol calls on sports bodies to have clear channels for complaints, internal procedures for handling incidents and named safeguarding responsibilities. It also provides guidance materials and infographics for clubs, federations and public bodies.

Girona's local protocol sits alongside existing conditions for the use of municipal sports facilities and adds a more specific safeguarding structure for minors. The council has also published its own document, Protocol Esport Segur, which sets out a commitment to violence-free sports spaces.

Who is affected in practice

The measures are relevant to several groups in Girona:

  • Parents, who need to know how concerns can be reported.
  • Sports clubs and coaches using municipal facilities, who may need to follow updated procedures.
  • Children and teenagers taking part in training and competition in council venues.
  • Facility managers and staff responsible for local implementation.

The source material does not specify in detail whether every club must appoint a designated safeguarding lead under the Girona protocol, so that point should be checked in the council's published document and facility conditions.

What residents and clubs can do next

Families and sports organisations that use Girona's municipal facilities can review the council's sports safety protocol and the conditions of use for those venues to understand reporting routes and expected conduct. Clubs that work with minors may also need to check whether their internal rules match the Catalan framework already in force.

Anyone with concerns about how the protocol applies in a specific municipal facility should contact Girona City Council through its official channels or the management of the relevant sports venue. For urgent child protection concerns, the appropriate public protection services and police should be contacted without delay.

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Primary sources: Government of Catalonia, Department of Education, Department of Sports (Catalonia), City Council of Girona (Ajuntament de Girona), Consell Català de l'Esport (Generalitat de Catalunya), Departament de Drets Socials, Govern de Catalunya, Secretaria General de l'Esport i de l'Activitat Física, Govern de Catalunya, Ajuntament de Girona. Reported by CPA Girona (Consell de Protecció de l'Adolescència i la Infància de Girona), Tot OK? (Girona Child and Adolescent Protection Initiative), FEEC (Fundació Esportiva de l'Esport Català), Consell Català de l'Esport, Federació Entitats Esportives de Catalunya (FEEC), Diari de Girona.