Introduction

Welcome to The Global Coach – the first edition of the Bulletin of the International Council for Coach Education (ICCE).

The ICCE is a relatively young organisation. Its establishment recognises the key role individual coaches play in the development of sport, and the importance of tackling common issues relating to coaching that are emerging across the globe.

The issue of coaching ethics is of particular concern at present. Hardly a week goes by but new stories emerge of coaches abusing their position of trust and acting in unethical, sometimes illegal, ways. The evidence is there for all to see – sexual harassment and abuse, child abuse, the use of drugs to gain an unfair advantage, violent behaviour in or out of competition and corrupt financial practices. It is a global problem which threatens to undermine the positive values associated with sport from the school playground to the international and Olympic arenas. It requires a global response, which is why coaching ethics are a major feature of this edition and of the ICCE Conference in Sydney, Australia later this year (more details inside).

I hope that you enjoy our first edition and find it informative and useful. Please let us know what you think and what you would like to see in future editions.

John Stevens
Chief Executive
The National Coaching Foundation
Leeds
United Kingdom
jstevens@ncf.org.uk