Kenyan rugby club Impala RFC has officially launched its Safeguarding Pilot, marking the start of a 16-week programme aimed at strengthening athlete safety, wellbeing, and safeguarding across the sport.
The launch took place on Saturday, 8 August 2026, at Impala Club, Ngong Road, Nairobi, bringing together members of the Impala Rugby Executive Committee, coaches, and the technical team alongside MichezoSAFETunza Safeguarding. The pilot will run through to 27 November 2026, with a review planned for December.
Launched on Safe Sport Day 2026, the initiative reflects a shared commitment to move safeguarding beyond policy and into the everyday experience of sport. The pilot forms Phase One of the Impala Safe Club 2030 programme, beginning with rugby as the first section in which the safeguarding framework will be developed, tested, and strengthened.
The intention is to use the lessons from the rugby pilot to inform a broader safeguarding approach across the club. During the launch session, participants discussed the purpose and scope of the pilot, the 16-week implementation plan, safeguarding leadership roles, responsibilities of the different partners, and the immediate actions required to get the programme underway. The pilot will cover the whole rugby section — every squad, every coach, and every volunteer.
This includes age-grade and junior teams, senior men’s squads, the women’s side, coaches, officials, and volunteers. Safeguarding considerations around match days, travel and tours, changing rooms and facilities, parents and spectators, athlete wellbeing, and the reporting and handling of concerns will also form part of the programme.
Over the coming months, the work will move through five stages — Assess, Design, Build, Equip and Embed — beginning with understanding the current rugby environment and identifying risks, before developing policies, codes, reporting systems and training that can be embedded into day-to-day club life.
A strong emphasis will also be placed on building the safeguarding capacity of the people closest to athletes. Coaches and team officials will receive training on safe coaching, conduct, and recognising and reporting concerns, while players, volunteers, parents, and guardians will also be engaged through tailored sessions.
The launch represents an important first step in building a safeguarding system that is practical, understood, and visible across the rugby environment. It is also an opportunity to learn. By testing the approach within a working rugby club, the pilot will help identify what effective safeguarding looks like in practice, what needs strengthening, and what lessons may be useful for other sporting environments.
Launching the programme on Safe Sport Day gives that commitment added significance. Safe sport is not simply about having the right policy. It is about creating environments where athletes feel safe, respected, supported, and able to speak up. The launch marks the beginning of that journey at Impala Rugby.
