Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee President Brian Lewis has challenged sporting authorities to take child abuse in sport seriously.

Lewis was speaking during the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) Special Session entitled ‘Youth Development in Sport: Countering Abuse and Trafficking of Minors’ held in Miami on April 26th 2018.

The TTOC President who is also President of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) told the diverse gathering that the problem of child abuse in sport could only be properly addressed when those leading sport acknowledged that it was indeed a real problem.

Youth development and child protection in sport is one of SIGA’s core strategic areas. The body has committed to safeguarding children and young people participating in sport, especially at the elite level.

Among those attending the SIGA Special Session were CONCACAF Director of Development Jason Roberts, Angela Melo Director - Division of Ethics, Youth and Sport at UNESCO, Shellie Pfohl, President & CEO of U.S. Center for SafeSport as well as Hristo Stoichkov, former Barcelona and Bulgarian football legend.