Your Performance Wellbeing Page

About Performance Wellbeing

Performance sport can be tough and so it's vital that athletes are supported throughout their journey in sport.

This page and the associated tabs are a collection of resources and policies which have the aim of supporting everyone to enjoy their involvement in competitive Canoeing. This page is primarily aimed at Olympic and Paralympic disciplines but we hope others can also benefit from some of the content and resources.

The term Performance Wellbeing represents our goal to support our people to be safe and well, to reach their performance potential, to cope with the demands of high performance sport and to reflect positively on their experiences.

We hope that the right support is available and accessible when athletes, staff, or volunteers need it most. We might not always get this right, and so we welcome ideas and input from anyone involved in the sport including athletes, coaches, parents, and volunteers. If you're facing a challenge we hope there is someone or something here to help you, and if not, we want to help find it! You will find contact details on the following tabs for a variety of people that will be able to offer guidance or signpost you to further support.

For information about our Performance Wellbeing Group (PWG) please click here.

Questions and Concerns

If you have a question or concern

We want to encourage a free and open culture across the whole of our sport. If you're worried about something or if you have a concern or question related to your involvement in canoeing, we want to address it. Communication is essential for us to resolve problems, but also for us to be aware of and deal with potential issues before problems arise.

People you can speak to

Contacts for WCP and England Talent Programme/Academy:

Your coach or support team
Emma Groome and Ryan Fagan - Performance Lifestyle Advisors (if applicable)
Richard Ramsdale - Head of Talent
Mark Ratcliffe (Slalom) and Chris Furber (Sprint and Paracanoe) - Performance Directors
***Or any staff member you feel comfortable with. Contact details can be found here.***

Our Athlete Reps represent the voice of WCP and GB team athletes within our Olympic and Paralympic disciplines and are available to support with questions or concerns. You can contact them face to face in the training environment, via email or social media. Our Reps are Hope Gordon (ParaCanoe), Laura Sugar (ParaCanoe), and Lewis Fletcher (Canoe Sprint).

The British Elite Athletes Association (BEAA) - an independent membership association representing the interests of World Class Programme athletes.

Sport Integrity - a confidential reporting line and independent investigation service available for all athletes and staff on Olympic and Paralympic performance programmes, to report allegations of unacceptable behaviour.

Please rest assured that your questions or concerns can be raised in confidence until you're ready and comfortable with any next steps (unless there is a risk of harm to yourself or others).

Contacts for Club members:

Your coach
Your Club Welfare Officer
Your Club's Committee Members
British Canoeing's Safeguarding Team

For anti-doping issues, contact UK Anti-Doping. For allegations of gambling or match-fixing, contact the Gambling Commission on 0121 230 6655.

How concerns are dealt with

Most questions or concerns can be resolved quickly and informally through discussion with an appropriate person such as those listed above, whether that's someone involved in the issue you have, or someone else you trust who can advise or mediate for you. In some cases though a formal procedure will be followed.

The following policies describe how different types of questions or concerns will be managed.

Safeguarding Concern Guidance Flowchart (Performance and England Talent programmes).

Safeguarding Children Policy - where the question or concern relates to a potential safeguarding issue relating to a child (under 18).

Safeguarding Adults Policy - where the question or concern relates to a potential safeguarding issue relating to an adult at risk.

Athlete Complaints Policy and England Talent Athlete Complaints Policy - where there is a complaint raised by an athlete participating in a performance or talent programme run by British Canoeing (which isn't related to safeguarding, appeals, competition decisions, or anti-doping).

British Canoeing Complaints Procedure - for complaints from those outside of British Canoeing performance programmes.

Appeals Procedure - Competition selection - where there is a question or concern about a selection decision relating to Great Britain team selections.

Appeals Procedure - World Class Programme selection - where there is a question or concern about a selection decision relating to World Class Programme team selections.

Disciplinary and Appeal Regulations - where a concern relates to unacceptable behaviour from any member, volunteer, Club, Centre, Coach or participant.

Athlete Disciplinary Policy and England Talent Athlete Disciplinary Policy - where a concern relates to the behaviour of an athlete participating in a performance or talent programme run by British Canoeing.

Whistleblowing Policy - where concerns relate to issues that go beyond personal complaints.

Information and Resources

On this page you can find a range of useful information and resources.

Performance Wellbeing Strategy

Our Safeguarding and Welfare Strategy, Safer Together, can be downloaded here.

Performance Information and Codes of Conduct

Safeguarding Guidance

In addition to the policies and procedures on the 'Questions and Concerns' tab, our Performance and Talent programmes also follow the below guidance on safeguarding matters.