Safeguarding

SAN MARINO FOOTBALL FEDERATION

SAFEGUARDING REGULATIONS

TITLE I GENERAL PROVISIONS

Art. 1 (Purpose)

1. The Federazione Sammarinese Giuoco Calcio (hereinafter, for short, “FSGC”), in line with the provisions issued on the matter by CONS, UEFA and FIFA, adopts these Regulations in order to promote the full physical, emotional, intellectual and social development of female and male players, their genuine participation in sporting activities, as well as full awareness by all registered members of their rights, duties, obligations, responsibilities and protections. To this end, it aims to counter any discriminatory practice, any form of abuse, harassment, gender-based violence or discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion, personal beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation against members of the San Marino sporting movement.

2. These Regulations govern the procedures and the preventative and counter‑measures against any conduct involving abuse, harassment, violence or discrimination on grounds of ethnicity, religion, personal beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation, however perpetrated and in any form, including by omission.

Art. 2 (Scope of application)

1. These Regulations apply to all affiliated clubs, all registered members, collaborators and all persons employed in any capacity and in any role in sporting activities and in federal activities and/or activities connected to the federal activity itself.

2. Acts of abuse, violence and discrimination as set out in Article 4 below are relevant irrespective of how they are perpetrated – in person, by electronic means, on the web and/or through messages, e-mails, social networks, blogs, artificial intelligence programming and other information technologies.

Art. 3 (Rights of registered members)

1. All members registered with the FSGC have the fundamental right to be treated with respect and dignity, and to be protected from any form of abuse, harassment, gender-based violence and any other discriminatory condition, irrespective of ethnicity, personal beliefs, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, political opinion, religion, financial situation, birth status, or physical, intellectual, relational or sporting condition.

2. The right to health and psycho-physical well-being of the persons referred to in paragraph 1 is a value that prevails over sporting results and, therefore, such persons have the right to practise sport in an appropriate and dignified environment, respectful of personality rights and health.

3. Anyone taking part in sporting activity in any capacity or role is required to respect the above rights.

Art. 4 (Harmful and relevant conduct)

1. The following constitute harmful and relevant conduct for the purposes of these Regulations:

• a) psychological abuse;
• b) physical abuse;
• c) sexual harassment;
• d) sexual abuse;
• e) bullying and cyberbullying;
• f) discriminatory behaviour;
• g) abuse of disciplinary measures;
• h) negligent failure to assist, peer‑to‑peer abuse;
• i) negligence.

2. For the purposes of the previous paragraph, the following definitions apply:

• a) “psychological abuse” means any unwanted act, including disrespect, confinement, domination, isolation or any other treatment that may affect a person’s sense of identity, dignity and self‑esteem, or that intimidates, upsets or undermines the peace of mind of the persons referred to in Article 3, paragraph 1 above, including when carried out using digital tools;

• b) “physical abuse” means any conduct, whether completed or attempted (including beating, punching, hitting, choking, slapping, kicking or throwing objects), that is capable, in real or potential terms, of directly or indirectly causing harm to health, trauma, physical injury or damage to a minor’s psycho‑physical development to such an extent as to jeopardise healthy and peaceful growth. Such acts may also consist of inducing a registered member (for the purpose of achieving better sporting performance) to carry out inappropriate physical activity, such as imposing training loads that are unsuitable in light of age, gender, body type and physical ability, or forcing athletes who are ill, injured or otherwise in pain to train, as well as the improper, excessive, unlawful or arbitrary use of sporting equipment. This also includes conduct that encourages the consumption of alcohol, of substances prohibited under applicable regulations, or doping practices;

• c) “sexual harassment” means any unwanted and unwelcome act or behaviour of a sexual nature, whether verbal, non‑verbal or physical, that causes serious distress, annoyance or disturbance. Such acts or behaviour may also consist of adopting inappropriate body language, making sexually explicit remarks or insinuations, as well as unwanted or unwelcome requests of a sexual nature, or phone calls, messages, letters or any other form of communication of sexual content, including where they have an intimidating, degrading or humiliating effect;

• d) “sexual abuse” means any behaviour or conduct of a sexual nature, with or without contact, which is considered unwanted or for which consent is coerced, manipulated, not given or refused. It may also consist of forcing the persons referred to in Article 3, paragraph 1 above, to engage in inappropriate or unwanted sexual conduct, or in observing such persons in inappropriate conditions and contexts;

• e) “bullying, cyberbullying” means any offensive and/or aggressive behaviour that a single individual or several persons may carry out, either in person, through social networks or other communication tools, whether on a one‑off basis or repeatedly over time, against one or more registered members, with the aim of exerting power or dominance over them. This may also consist of repeated acts of oppression and overbearing intended to intimidate or unsettle the persons referred to in Article 3, paragraph 1 above, creating a state of discomfort, insecurity, fear, exclusion or isolation (including humiliation, criticism of physical appearance, verbal threats, including in relation to sporting performance, spreading unfounded rumours, threats of physical retaliation or damage to objects owned by the victim);

• f) “discriminatory behaviour” means any conduct intended to produce a discriminatory effect based on ethnicity, colour, physical characteristics, gender, socio‑economic status, sporting performance and athletic ability, religion, personal beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation;

• g) “abuse of disciplinary measures” means conduct which, going beyond the limits of the corrective and disciplinary powers vested in a Coach or Club Official in respect of the person concerned, is exercised in an inappropriate manner or for a purpose other than that for which such powers were conferred by the competent sports body;

• h) “negligent failure to assist, peer‑to‑peer abuse” means the failure by a Club Official, Coach or any sportsperson, including by virtue of the duties arising from their role, to intervene when, having become aware of one of the events covered by these Regulations, they fail to act;

• i) “negligence” means the failure by a club official, coach or any registered member, including by virtue of the duties arising from their role, to intervene when, having become aware of any of the events, behaviour, conduct or acts referred to in this document, they omit to act, thereby causing harm, allowing harm to be caused or creating an imminent risk of harm. It may also consist of persistent and systematic indifference to, or neglect of, the physical and/or psychological needs of the persons referred to in Article 3, paragraph 1.

Art. 5 (Code of conduct)

1. All persons referred to in Article 2, paragraph 1 of these Regulations must align their behaviour with the following code of conduct:

• a) DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ALL REGISTERED MEMBERS. All registered members have the following duties and obligations:

  • 1) to act with loyalty, integrity and fairness in carrying out any activity connected or related to the sporting sphere, and to conduct themselves in a manner based on respect for other registered members;

  • 2) to refrain from using inappropriate or suggestive language, including body language, even in play or joking situations, and to avoid remarks, comments and judgements that may be detrimental to a person’s dignity, decorum or sensitivity, even when strictly related to sporting performance;

  • 3) to safeguard the safety and health of other registered members, undertaking to create and maintain a healthy, safe and inclusive environment;

  • 4) to commit to education and training in healthy sporting practice, supporting other registered members in their educational and training pathways;

  • 5) to commit to creating, maintaining and promoting a healthy balance between personal life and sport, also enhancing the recreational, relational and social aspects of sporting activity;

  • 6) to establish a balanced relationship with those who exercise parental responsibility or with those entrusted with the care of the athletes or their delegates;

  • 7) to prevent and discourage disputes, conflicts and disagreements also by using healthy, effective and constructive communication;

  • 8) to remove obstacles that prevent athletes – regardless of ethnicity, personal beliefs, disability, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, language, political opinion, religion, financial situation, birth status, or physical, intellectual, relational or sporting condition – from expressing their potential or from enjoying a healthy, safe and inclusive sporting environment;

  • 9) to address offensive, manipulative, threatening or aggressive behaviour in a proactive way;

  • 10) to cooperate with other registered members in preventing, countering and suppressing abuse, violence and discrimination (whether individual or collective);

  • 11) to report without delay to the Club Safeguarding Focal Point (CSFP) of the club referred to in Article 10 below any situations, including potential ones, that expose registered members to harm, danger, fear or distress;

• b) DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF CLUB OFFICIALS AND COACHES. All club officials and coaches have the following duties and obligations:

  • 1) to act to prevent and counter any form of abuse, violence and discrimination;

  • 2) to refrain from any abuse or improper use of their position of trust, power or influence over registered members, especially minors;

  • 3) to contribute to the development and harmonious growth of registered members, particularly minors, by planning appropriate training sessions that respect the athlete’s physical, sporting and emotional development, also taking into account their interests and needs;

  • 4) to avoid any unnecessary physical contact with registered members, particularly minors;

  • 5) to promote relationships between registered members based on respect and cooperation, preventing dysfunctional situations which, including through manipulation, create a state of subjection, danger or fear;

  • 6) to refrain from creating situations of intimacy with minor registered members;

  • 7) to pay attention, during away trips, to logistical solutions designed to prevent situations of discomfort and/or inappropriate behaviour. In the case of minors, even greater caution must be exercised and all written authorisations must be obtained from those who exercise parental authority over the minor;

  • 8) in the case of minor athletes, to obtain written authorisation from those exercising parental authority where individual training sessions and/or sessions at times when the facilities used for sporting activity are not usually frequented are planned;

  • 9) to communicate and share educational and training objectives with minor registered members, explaining how these objectives are to be achieved and involving in such choices those who exercise parental responsibility or those entrusted with their care, or their delegates;

  • 10) to refrain from communications and contacts of an intimate nature with minor registered members, including via social networks;

  • 11) to immediately cease any contact with a minor registered member where anxiety, fear or discomfort is observed as a result of their conduct, notifying the Safeguarding Officer referred to in Article 10 below;

  • 12) to use the necessary professional expertise in any planning and/or management of dietary regimes in a sporting context;

  • 13) to promptly report any signs of eating disorders in the athletes entrusted to them;

  • 14) to declare any grounds of incompatibility and conflicts of interest;

  • 15) to uphold sporting values and to educate athletes to reject substances or methods prohibited for the purpose of altering sporting performance;

  • 16) to be familiar with, seek information on and continuously update themselves on safeguarding policies, on measures for preventing and countering abuse, violence and discrimination, and on the most modern training and communication methods in the sporting sphere;

  • 17) to refrain from using, reproducing and disseminating images or videos of minor registered members, unless for educational and training purposes, and in such cases only after obtaining the necessary authorisations from those who exercise parental responsibility or those entrusted with their care, or their delegates;

  • 18) to report without delay to the Club Safeguarding Focal Point (CSFP) of the club referred to in Article 10 below any situations, including potential ones, that expose registered members to harm, danger, fear or distress;

• c) DUTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF MALE AND FEMALE PLAYERS. All male and female players have the following duties and obligations:

  • 1) to respect the principle of solidarity among athletes, encouraging mutual assistance and support;

  • 2) to communicate their aspirations to club officials and coaches and, in a spirit of cooperation, to consider proposals regarding educational and training objectives and the ways in which such objectives are to be achieved, also with the support of those who exercise parental responsibility or those entrusted with their care, where appropriate comparing notes with other athletes;

  • 3) to inform club officials and coaches of situations of anxiety, fear or discomfort affecting themselves or others;

  • 4) to prevent, avoid and report dysfunctional situations that, including through manipulation, create a state of subjection, danger or fear in other athletes;

  • 5) to respect and protect the dignity, health and well‑being of other athletes and, more generally, of all persons involved in sporting activities;

  • 6) to respect the educational and training role of club officials and coaches;

  • 7) to maintain relationships based on respect with other athletes and with all persons in any way involved in sporting activities;

  • 8) to report any injury or accident to those exercising parental responsibility or to those entrusted with the care of the athletes, or to their delegates;

  • 9) to avoid contacts and situations of intimacy with club officials and coaches, including on away trips, and to report any inappropriate behaviour;

  • 10) to refrain from sharing private or intimate photographic or video material received, and to report any contrary behaviour to those exercising parental responsibility or to those entrusted with their care, or to their delegates, as well as to the Safeguarding Officer referred to in Article 10 below;

  • 11) to report without delay to the Club Safeguarding Focal Point (CSFP) of the club referred to in Article 10 below any situations, including potential ones, that expose registered members to harm, danger, fear or distress.

2. Clubs must adopt this code of conduct, which must be posted, within 10 days of the entry into force of these Regulations, on a dedicated noticeboard at the club’s headquarters and at the training grounds it uses, and must also be published on the club’s website, if it has one, as it is binding on all registered members.

3. Contracts entered into with collaborators and financial agreements concluded with players and coaches must include a clause fully referring to and expressly recalling this code of conduct, for the purposes of making it binding as an essential component of the contractual obligations agreed.

4. Failure to comply with the provisions contained in the code of conduct shall give rise to the sanctions set out in the applicable framework agreements for the relevant category, where in force, as well as those contained in individual contracts and financial agreements, without prejudice in all cases to the jurisdiction of the Sports Justice Bodies in respect of conduct of disciplinary relevance.

Art. 6 (Knowledge and observance of the Regulations)

1. The persons referred to in Article 2 of these Regulations, in the course of federal activity, are required to be aware of the content of these Regulations, to comply with them and to contribute to the objectives they pursue, including through the competent bodies.

2. These Regulations are published in the dedicated section of the FSGC website.

3. The FSGC ensures the widest possible dissemination of these Regulations.

4. The FSGC shall display this code of conduct at all grounds it manages and which are used by the clubs.

TITLE II FEDERAL SAFEGUARDING COMMISSION AND CHILD SAFEGUARDING FOCAL POINT

Art. 7 (Composition and appointment of the Federal Safeguarding Commission)

1. For the purpose of preventing and countering the abuse, violence and discrimination covered by these Regulations, a body responsible for safeguarding policies, called the Federal Safeguarding Commission, is established within the FSGC.

2. The Commission is composed of 7 members, including the Child Safeguarding Focal Point (hereinafter, for short, CSFP) referred to in Article 9 below, who shall act as Chair of the Commission. They are appointed by the Federal Council, on the proposal of the Federal President, hold office for an Olympic four-year term and may be reappointed. Their appointment may not be revoked and/or replaced except for just cause. The appointment and/or amendment of the Safeguarding Commission shall be published on the FSGC website and notified to the clubs.

3. Those who meet the requirements set out in Article 4 of the Federal Statutes, with the exception of paragraph a) of that Article, and in Article 22 of the Organisational Regulations, as well as having proven experience in legal, medical-health, social, psychological or sporting matters, may be appointed as members of the Commission.

4. The Commission shall submit its own rules of procedure to the Federal Council for approval.

5. The FSGC shall ensure support for the activities of the Commission through the designated federal structure.

Art. 8 (Functions of the Federal Safeguarding Commission)

1. The Commission is responsible for the FSGC’s Safeguarding policies and is competent to verify situations of ongoing danger or abuse, without prejudice to the jurisdiction of the sports justice bodies referred to in the Disciplinary Regulations.

2. In particular, the Commission shall:

• a) monitor the adoption of the code of conduct referred to in Article 5 of these Regulations, as well as the appointment by the Clubs of the Officer referred to in Article 10 below;
• b) take all necessary initiatives to prevent and counter any form of abuse, violence and discrimination covered by these Regulations;
• c) draw up procedures for the selection of sports operators which, once ratified by the Federal Council, the Clubs will be required to adopt;
• d) receive, in the manner laid down by these Regulations and by the Commission’s rules of procedure, reports concerning conduct that is harmful and relevant as referred to in Article 4 above and/or concerning failure to comply with the code of conduct referred to in Article 5 of these Regulations, and, after examining them, assess whether the conditions are met to forward the report to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office for the investigations within its remit, or whether not to proceed due to the complete lack of grounds for action;
• e) provide any information and any documents requested by the CONS Safeguarding Committee.

3. The Commission shall exercise its functions ex officio and/or on the basis of reports from third parties.

4. In the event of direct detection of unlawful conduct, the Commission shall inform the Federal Prosecutor’s Office without delay and may also obtain any documents deemed useful, immediately forwarding copies to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

Art. 9 (Federal Child Safeguarding Focal Point)

1. The FSGC shall appoint an Officer responsible for Safeguarding policies, called the Child Safeguarding Focal Point (hereinafter, for short, the federal CSFP).

2. The name of the CSFP and their contact details shall be published on the FSGC website page dedicated to Safeguarding and must be notified to the CONS Safeguarding Committee.

3. A person who meets the requirements laid down in Article 4 of the Federal Statutes, with the exception of paragraph a) of that Article, and in Article 22 of the Organisational Regulations, who has been duly trained on the protection and safeguarding of minors, taking into account their skills, the expertise acquired in the youth sector, their experience and personal aptitude, may be appointed as the federal Child Safeguarding Focal Point.

4. The federal CSFP is the operational liaison point between the Commission, of which they act as Chair, and the affiliated Clubs, and works in close contact with them and with any third parties involved (agencies, associations, entities, etc.).

Art. 10 (Club Child Safeguarding Focal Point)

1. Clubs are required to appoint an officer responsible for preventing abuse, violence and discrimination, called the Child Safeguarding Focal Point (hereinafter, for short, CSFP).

2. The appointment referred to in the previous paragraph shall be promptly notified to the FSGC by means of a self-certification signed by the club’s Legal Representative and shall be published on the Club’s website, if any, and posted on a specific noticeboard at the Club’s headquarters.

3. The club CSFP is required to:

• ensure the implementation of these Regulations, preventing and countering any type of abuse, violence or discrimination against registered members and guaranteeing the protection of athletes’ physical and moral integrity;
• inform all registered members of the code of conduct referred to in Article 5 above, and any subsequent updates, by posting it on a specific noticeboard at the Club’s headquarters and publishing it on the Club’s website, if any;
• ensure that the code of conduct is accepted at the time of signing financial agreements and collaboration contracts;
• inform the families of registered members about the contents of these Regulations, enabling them to recognise and report situations that breach the code of conduct or constitute abuse.

4. The club CSFP is the point of reference for the registered members of their own club for any need related to the prevention of any form of abuse and/or discrimination provided for in these Regulations, as well as for any report of abuse and/or discrimination, which they shall forward to the Federal Safeguarding Commission. They also act as the contact point with the FSGC CSFP.

5. A CSFP of the club may be a registered member who:

• a) meets the requirements set out in Article 4 of the Federal Statutes, with the exception of paragraph a) of that Article, and in Article 22 of the Organisational Regulations;
• b) holds the certificate issued by UEFA following the specific training course.

6. The CSFP must be included in the club’s organisational chart.

TITLE III REPORTING

Art. 11 (Duty to report)

1. Registered members who become aware of conduct that is disciplinarily relevant as referred to in Article 4 above shall immediately report it to the CSFP of their own club and/or to the Federal Safeguarding Commission.

2. Written reports must include all circumstances known to the reporting person that are useful for reconstructing the harmful incident and identifying those involved.

Art. 12 (Protection of the reporting person and reporting procedures)

1. The Commission shall always guarantee the confidentiality of the reporting person, if expressly requested by them or deemed necessary to protect the persons involved.

2. The protection referred to in this Article is not guaranteed in cases where the liability of the reporting person for the offences of slander and/or defamation and/or for any other offences committed through the report itself is evident or has been established.

3. In order to encourage the reporting of situations of abuse and danger, a reporting channel has been established through the “Whistleblowing” service on the official FSGC website (https://www.fsgc.sm/it/safeguarding).

TITLE IV DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS AND SANCTIONS

Art. 13 (Sanctions)

1. Failure to comply with the obligations set out in these Regulations or the issue of untruthful statements in relation to those obligations constitutes a disciplinary offence and shall be sanctioned in accordance with the FSGC Disciplinary Regulations, without prejudice to the possible commission of criminal offences and/or reporting under the Law also for the purposes of the Disciplinary Regulations.

TITLE V INITIATIVES AND MANDATORY TRAINING

Art. 14 (Awareness-raising and training)

1. All directors, coaches, athletes, collaborators and members of federal and club staff are required to take part in the training courses organised by the FSGC.

2. The FSGC shall produce and make available training material dedicated to the protection of minors, to support communities, families, children and young people, who must be informed about the contents of these Regulations and enabled to recognise and report situations that breach the codes of conduct or constitute abuse.

3. Particular attention shall be paid to actions to increase children’s and young people’s awareness of the issues addressed in the Regulations and of how they can help make sports practice and the game of football safe. To this end, materials and content accessible to minors will be produced, using specific language and formats.

4. Depending on the role and tasks carried out within the activities of the FSGC and the clubs, tailored training materials and content may be provided.

5. The FSGC shall ensure the continuous updating of the materials and documents available regarding the protection of minors, through different methods and tools.

Art. 15 (Entry into force)

These Regulations, approved by the Federal Council on 15 May 2026, shall enter into force on 18 May 2026, the date of publication on the official FSGC website, and shall be updated whenever necessary in order to incorporate any amendments and additions to the relevant legislation, as well as any provisions issued by CONS, UEFA and FIFA.