Erin Willson

Erin Willson wins 2021 Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund sport study scholarship

Erin Willson, a PhD student from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) has received a 2021 Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund sport study scholarship.

The former Olympian received the award for her dissertation project examining athletes’ experiences of all forms of harm in Canadian sport, including sexual, physical and emotional, and explores how race, gender and sexual orientation may influence the athletes' experiences and their readiness to disclose and report any maltreatment.

The Lyle Makosky Values and Ethics in Sport Fund scholarship program provides annual financial awards for the study of values and ethics-based challenges and related policies affecting non-professional Canadian sport. The True Sport Foundation manages and selects award winners.

“I am very honoured to receive this award,” says Willson, who is supervised by Professor Gretchen Kerr. “The True Sport Foundation seeks to shape the Canadian sports environment into becoming values-based and principle-driven, which includes fair play, respect, inclusion and holistic development of athletes.

“My passion for safe sport directly aligns with these values, and it is a privilege to be recognized by this foundation for the work that I am doing in this area. I intend to use this fund to provide compensation for the participants of this dissertation.”

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