Public policy

Safeguarding & youth protection

Federation-grade standards for minors, families, clubs, and scouts using SportConnect Talent across the DRC and partner federations.

Our commitment

Child safety is a
non-negotiable

SportConnect Talent exists to open pathways for young athletes without exposing them to exploitation. We treat child safeguarding as a non-negotiable operational priority: every product decision, verification step, and support workflow is measured against whether it reduces risk to minors and increases transparency for parents, clubs, and legitimate scouts.

Verified scouts onlyParental consent loggedNo direct minor contactFederation oversight

Access controls

Verified scouts only

Talent identification on SportConnect Talent is limited to scouts and agents who have completed our verification pathway. Unverified accounts cannot present as accredited scouts or initiate protected workflows toward minors.

Parental consent for under-18 contact

For athletes under 18, any scout-led introduction or messaging pathway requires an active parent or guardian account and a recorded consent decision. SportConnect Talent logs the outcome for audit and federation oversight.

1

Verified scout requests intro

2

SportConnect Talent notifies parent

3

Parent reviews (child context)

4

Approve or decline

5

Audit trail + scout notified

No direct scout-to-minor messaging before recorded parental consent.

Act on a concern

Reporting channels

You can raise a concern through any of the following channels.

In-app reportReport a safety concernOpen the safeguarding form. choose a reason, add details, optional follow-up email. No account required.
✉️Contact Uscontact@sportconnecttalent.comSafeguarding reports. include screenshots where safe to do so.💬WhatsApp hotline+243 900 000 000Voice note or text; monitored safeguarding inbox.

Prohibited conduct

What we ban

Violations can lead to immediate suspension, referral to law enforcement or football authorities, and permanent exclusion from the platform.

  • SolicitationGrooming, sexualised content, or pressuring a minor or family for meetings or imagery.
  • Unverified contactMisrepresenting scout status or bypassing verification to reach minors.
  • Off-platform payment requestsFees, trials, or 'processing' payments outside SportConnect Talent's declared, auditable flows.
  • Fake clubsImpersonating federations, academies, or schools; forged documents; or fictitious trials.

Standards & frameworks

Compliance & alignment

FIFA Article 19

We align operational controls with FIFA's emphasis on protecting minors in football, including safer recruitment practices and clear accountability for talent identifiers.

IOC Safeguarding Framework

Our reporting pathways, education-first messaging, and partnership with federations mirror IOC expectations for safe sport environments.

DRC Child Protection Law

We respect the Democratic Republic of the Congo's national child protection legislation and cooperate with competent authorities when legally required.

Your point of contact

Designated Safeguarding Officer

The DSO coordinates triage, federation liaison, and escalation for all safeguarding reports. For general enquiries that are not urgent, email is preferred so attachments can be preserved.

Officer

Designated Safeguarding Officer. SportConnect Talent

Email

contact@sportconnecttalent.com
Report a safeguarding concern →