Five-time Olympic champion Sir Bradley Wiggins says it is vital to increase the safety of children in sport.
Briton Wiggins, 42, revealed in April that he was groomed by a coach as a child and is urging people to support a new NSPCC safety initiative.
The child protection charity said that the number of adults contacting a helpline about children in sport has almost doubled in the last five years.
The FA and ex-England midfielder Paul Stewart are also backing the campaign.
“We must make sport safe for children and make it easier for parents – and all people in sport – to recognise and understand how they themselves can support a safer sports environment,” said Tour de France winner Wiggins.
Launching the Keeping Your Child Safe in Sport Week campaign, the NSPCC said that a poll of 1,000 parents had shown that 15% of respondents did not feel confident they could spot the signs of their child suffering abuse at their local sports club.
The number of calls to the NSPCC’s helpline in which the locations of concern were a sports setting increased from 155 to 301 between 2017 and 2022.
Former Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool player Stewart was sexually abused by a football coach as a child and now campaigns on the issue.
“It is absolutely vital that safeguarding is a top priority in children’s sport,” said the 57-year-old, adding that the importance of awareness campaigns “cannot be understated”.
“Every child should be able to enjoy sport without the risk of abuse,” he said.
The Football Association is taking part in awareness-raising events this week, including a virtual webinar by the Premier League.
The NSPCC is sharing information and resources, with people encouraged to use the hashtag #SafeInSport.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this article, there is information and support available on BBC Action Line.
