Complaint Management Process 

The Abuse-Free Sport complaint management process provides an independent mechanism to address allegations of maltreatment and discrimination in sport. It covers matters that are related to the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport  (UCCMS), involving individual participants of organizations that have signed onto the program.

The process comprises three core components:

• The Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC);
• The Director of Sanctions and Outcomes (DSO); and
• The Safeguarding Tribunal.

Complaints that are admissible to the program are submitted to the OSIC, which is responsible for complaint intake and for commissioning independent investigations. In addition, the OSIC makes support services  available to individuals who are navigating the complaint management process. 

The OSIC also makes recommendations for provisional measures where necessary while a complaint is being administered, as well as for final sanctions when an investigation finds that a violation of the UCCMS has occurred.

The recommendations of the OSIC are then transferred to the DSO, who is independent and has full authority to impose sanctions on participants.

If a party is unsatisfied with a decision of the DSO, they may have the right to challenge it before the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada's Safeguarding Tribunal, in accordance with Article 8 of the Canadian Sport Dispute Resolution Code.