Sport Integrity Australia set to commence operations from 1st July

Working with sports and supporting them to strengthen the integrity landscape will be a primary focus for Sport Integrity Australia, when it commences operations on 1st July.

Inaugural Sport Integrity Australia Chief Executive, David Sharpe advises that the body does not intend to take over or replace the current important integrity role played by sports, but to support them in this important and challenging role.

Sport Integrity Australia, which combines the current functions of the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA), the National Integrity of Sport Unit (NISU) and the integrity functions of Sport Australia, has been established to provide national coordination and streamlined support to sports.

Advising that it’s important that sporting organisations continue to have responsibility for maintaining integrity across their codes, and that Sport Integrity Australia provides the support and capability to enhance these rules, Sharpe (pictured below) explains “Sport Integrity Australia’s main priority from commencement on 1 July will be to help sports as they fight to maintain their basic operations, and during the coming months as they return to competition.

“Where sports already have advanced integrity units, Sport Integrity Australia will support and value-add to those existing integrity functions. Where sports may currently lack resources, Sport Integrity Australia will help those organisations develop these functions and capabilities.

“All integrity functions currently performed by ASADA, NISU and Sport Australia will continue to take place under Sport Integrity Australia.”

Sport Integrity Australia’s remit is to provide advice and assistance to counter the:

• Use of prohibited substances and methods in sport
• Abuse of children and other persons in a sporting environment
• Manipulation of sporting competitions, and
• Failure to protect members of sporting organisations and other persons in a sporting environment from bullying, intimidation, discrimination or harassment.

Sharpe says Sport Integrity Australia will focus on policy development, intelligence, investigations relating to anti-doping education, engagement and capability building of the sporting sector, adding “the agency will function as Australia’s National Anti-Doping Organisation, and sports are encouraged to engage with the new agency on all sport integrity matters.”

From 1st July, Sport Integrity Australia will also lead the development of policy proposals for:

• Regulating elements of sports wagering through the establishment and administration of the Australian Sports Wagering Scheme
• Enhancing match-fixing detection and suspicious wagering alert capabilities
• Establishing a strategic analysis unit, and
• Establishing a joint intelligence and investigations unit of jurisdictional law enforcement officials.

Sport Integrity Australia is the Federal Government’s response to the findings of the Review of Australia’s Sports Integrity Arrangements (Wood Review). The Review looked at what we do now, where our weaknesses are and what we need to change to protect the 14 million Australians who take part in sport annually.