United Globally for Athlete Safety
Olympic Safeguarding Symposium
February 11, 2026 in Milan, Italy
The U.S. Center for SafeSport hosted a Symposium, United Globally for Athlete Safety, during the 2026 Olympic Games in Milan, Italy. The event brought together leaders in athlete safeguarding for a collaborative, international conversation on best practices and lessons learned.
Welcome and Overview
of the U.S. Center for SafeSport Approach to Safeguarding
Featuring welcome remarks by Elena Buffa, member of the CONI Lombardia Board, and SafeSport CEO, LA84 Olympian Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, followed by a presentation from subject matter experts at the U.S. Center for SafeSport.
International Safeguarding Panel Discussion
Moderated by SafeSport CEO Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, a panel of international experts and athletes shared their perspectives on safeguarding in sports.
Panelists
Greta Barbone
Human Rights Manager at the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026
Expert in Human Rights and International Justice
Greta Barbone
Greta is the Human Rights Manager at Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, leading the advancement and partnerships on human rights and Diversity, Equality and Inclusion of Fondazione. Before, she drove stakeholders engagement and communication of the International Criminal Court in several countries for more than 8 years – including in Sudan, Palestine and Israel, Libya, and Venezuela. Greta developed strategies and partnerships with the media, international organizations and NGOs to conduct information campaigns and projects galvanizing public opinion to promote change on justice and sexual and gender-based violence.
She also has an experience of more than 9 years in international advocacy, fundraising and managing projects in Africa and the Middle East gained at various NGOs. Greta is a lawyer specialized in human rights and international justice, with a good knowledge of corporate law acquired during a LL.M at the New York University and the years in the law firm Bonelli Erede.
Stefano Bastianon
Law Professor at the University of Bergamo
Member of the IVth Section of the Collegio di Garanzia dello Sport at the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI)
Arbitrator at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
Stefano Bastianon
Stefano Bastianon is a Full Professor of European Union Law and EU Sports Law at the University of Bergamo, Department of Law. He holds a law degree from the University of Milan and a Ph.D. in European Union Law from the University of Bologna. His academic work focuses on EU law, sports law, and competition law. Alongside his academic career, he is a founding partner of Bastianon Garavaglia Law Firm, where he practices in EU and sports law matters. He also serves as an attorney and arbitrator, including roles with the Sports Guarantee Board at the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
Richard Bush
Partner at Bird & Bird
Expert in Sports Law and Safeguarding
Richard Bush
Richard is a Partner in the International Sports Group of Bird & Bird, where he established and leads the safeguarding in sport practice. He first gained experience of safeguarding regulation in sport while employed as an in-house solicitor with the (English) Football Association, where he provided day to day legal advice to its safeguarding team for three years. Since joining Bird & Bird, he has been fortunate to have applied and built on that experience, and now frequently advises many of Bird & Bird’s national and international sports organization clients on a wide variety of safeguarding matters, from policy formulation through to regulation drafting and case management. As a result of that experience, he is able to provide clients with calm, practical advice in this most difficult of areas.
Joanna Maranhão
Network Coordinator at Sport & Rights Alliance
Four-time Olympian, Brazil
Joanna Maranhão
Joanna is a Brazilian Olympian, survivor, advocate and researcher, and the coordinator of the Athletes Network for Safer Sports. As a professional swimmer, Joanna specialized in individual medley and distance events, participating in four Olympic Games and winning eight medals at the Pan American Games.
As Network Coordinator at the Sport & Rights Alliance, Joanna is responsible to foster global connection, collaboration and mobilization between athletes and allies impacted by abuse in sport. Previously, Joanna led the campaign to expand Brazil’s statutes of limitation to allow survivors of child sexual abuse more time to report and seek justice, succeeding in establishing a new law, which bears her name (the Joanna Maranhão Law).
She holds a Master of Sports Ethics and Integrity from the University of Leuven in Belgium, and a Bachelor in Physical Education from Faculdade Maurício de Nassau in Brazil. Joanna speaks Portuguese, English and Spanish.
Claudia Villa
Head of Safeguarding at the Centre for Sport & Human Rights
International Safeguarding Specialist and Consultant
Claudia Villa
Claudia is an International Safeguarding Specialist & Consultant with experiences working with Major Event Organisers, International Sport Federations and National Governing Bodies to develop and implement safeguarding best practices. Claudia currently serves as Head of Safeguarding at the Centre for Sport & Human Rights and is part of the Council of Europe pool of International Experts on Safe Sport as well as the International Safeguards for Children in Sport working group, IOC International Safe Sport Framework Core Group and UNESCO Global Safe Sport Taskforce.
Claudia’s approach to safeguarding is rooted in two decades of dedicated service to children affected by trafficking, abuse, and exploitation. Her strategic leadership and collaboration with local governments, law enforcement, health, and education sectors have influenced critical policies and procedures on child sexual abuse and exploitation, leaving a lasting legacy.
Claudia is also a recognized humanitarian sector expert; leading and developing support services for refugees and asylum seekers at both the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and British Red Cross where she still volunteers as a member of the Psychosocial Support Team to support people in crisis. Her passion and dedication in this field has been recognized with the Queen’s Award.
Moderator
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
Chief Executive Officer of the U.S. Center for SafeSport
LA84 Olympic Gold Medalist
Benita Fitzgerald Mosley
Olympic gold medalist Benita Fitzgerald Mosley is the incoming CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport. An established international leader in nonprofit, sports, and business, Benita has served as CEO of Multiplying Good, a nonprofit committed to cultivating greatness through service to others. She has also served as the President of FundPlay Foundation, the VP of Community & Impact for LeagueApps, and the CEO of the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation USA, where she helped leverage the power of sport to build thriving kids and communities across the nation.
A world-class athlete, Benita won a gold medal in the 100-meter hurdles in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, making her the first American woman to accomplish this feat. She was a member of the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic Teams, an alternate on the 1988 U.S. Olympic Team, and a gold medalist in the 1983 Pan American Games. She is an inductee into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame.
Committed to furthering athlete well-being, Benita serves on several committees and boards, including the International Olympic Committee Commission, and the Boards of Special Olympics International and Athletes for Hope. She also served on the Senate Commission on the State of the U.S. Olympics and Paralympics.
Benita graduated from the University of Tennessee with a B.S. in Industrial Engineering, where she competed on the track and field team, becoming an eight-time national champion and a 14-time NCAA All-American. She lives in Virginia with her husband and they have two kids in college.
Thank you to our generous symposium sponsor
