The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and UNAIDS have recently published a Toolkit for HIV/AIDS prevention through sport. The IOC recognises and is concerned with the extent of the AIDS pandemic. The sports community has not been spared by this pandemic. Of the over 40million people around the world living with HIV, many of them are involved in sports, either as spectators or as participants.

This toolkit, developed in partnership with UNAIDS, is another step in the IOC’s efforts to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS by providing materials on HIV and AIDS education to members of the Olympic Movement and sports people generally.

This toolkit is described mainly for National Olympic Committees, coaches, athletes, administrators, and sports clubs and federations. However, this book (also available as pdf online on http://multimedia.olympic.org/pdf/en_report_1015.pdf) can also be of use for anyone involved in promoting and including HIV and AIDS education and work in sports activities and programmes. This makes it a useful tool for physical education teachers and sports teachers in schools. This toolkit should be considered a supplement to already existing HIV and AIDS education, work programmes and activities in your school or sports club or local community.

It is important that you connect your activities and programmes to local AIDS organizations. They may be able to help with training and in the provision of HIV and AIDS materials and teaching aids. Your National Sports Councils and associations, including the National Olympic Committee, may have basic sport coaching courses on HIV and AIDS, and materials. Also link to National AIDS Councils so that activities and messages are co-ordinated. They might also be of assistance in brokering partnerships and be able to provide materials. You do not need extensive experience in coaching or in teaching sports, nor do you need access to expensive equipment to use this toolkit. However, you need to be ‘AIDS competent’ and capable of communicating about HIV and AIDS properly.