IHF Safeguarding Policy 2026
The Safeguarding Policy of the International Handball Federation, in force from 27 July 2026.
| In force | 27 July 2026 — adopted by the IHF Council |
| Structure | Chapter XXX of the International Handball Federation's body of regulations |
| Status | Current version — the most recently added chapter of the compendium |
What this policy governs
With this document the International Handball Federation has committed itself to providing a safe environment in which everyone can train and compete with respect, with equality and free from every form of harassment and abuse. The Safeguarding Policy rests on Article 1.4 of the IOC Code of Ethics and Article 5 of the IHF Ethics Code — the provision that makes safeguarding the dignity of the individual a fundamental requirement of the world federation.
This chapter has not yet been entered in the list of regulations annexed to the Statutes, which runs to Chapter XXIX; the document itself bears the number XXX.
Key points
- A non-exhaustive list of prohibited conductArticle 5 enumerates the prohibited forms of conduct and makes clear that the list is not exhaustive: harassment and abuse (including bullying, neglect and psychological or physical violence), any crime or breach of law that raises a safeguarding concern, any form of coercion that results in abuse, and breaches of this Policy or of the Code of Conduct in Annex 1.
- Failure to report is itself a violationFailing to report a safeguarding concern, suspicion or allegation appears in the list of prohibited conduct. Knowingly making a false or misleading report, abusing the process and breaching confidentiality are likewise treated as violations.
- The duty to report where children are concernedWhere the concern relates to a player under 18, anyone who becomes aware of a possible violation, or reasonably suspects one, is obliged to report it. For an adult player, the player's own consent must in principle be obtained, unless there is reasonable cause to believe that danger is imminent or that the conduct may amount to a crime.
- Protection of the reporterAnyone who reports in good faith must not be exposed to retaliation; the world federation has made a confidential reporting system available.
- Reporting channelsAn online form on the IHF website and social media that allows anonymous reporting, a dedicated safeguarding e-mail address, and approaching in person the Safeguarding Officer or — in that officer's absence at an event — a trained "contact point".
- The Safeguarding Officer and the working groupAll reports reach the IHF Safeguarding Officer, who assesses them together with the Safeguarding Working Group. Article 9 also makes training mandatory, and National Federations and Continental Confederations have their own obligations under Article 4.
- Precise definitionsArticle 2 defines terms such as hazing (humiliating and dangerous initiation rituals for new members of a team), interpersonal violence and neglect — definitions that make the scope of the Policy clear.
Who this document matters to
For National Federations and clubs, two points carry direct legal weight: the duty to report where players under 18 are concerned, the omission of which is itself a violation, and the requirement to have a safeguarding policy and code of conduct in place at national level. Proceedings for violations run through the Ethics Commission, and the IHF Ethics Code, in its edition of 21 December 2025, has entrusted the route of appeal to the International Handball Court of Arbitration.