A lack of child protection policies by sporting clubs and organisations is being blamed for leaving children vulnerable to abuse.
There have been eight cases in the past two years of sports coaches being charged with, or convicted of, abusing children they were coaching.
The Child Matters protection agency said sports clubs need to be proactive rather than waiting for regulation.
Chief executive Paul Cameron told Nine to Noon that Sport New Zealand has a policy document to show sports clubs how to keep children safe, but clubs are not made to use it.
And Volleyball New Zealand also said clubs are not made to use the child protection policy laid out by Sport New Zealand.
