Safety In Sport - Shaping Sporting Culture

If only sport was as simple as playing the game.

It is also a culture, though - the culture of sporting organisations.

Unfortunately, the sad fact is that some sporting organisations seem to make the news because they abuse the power they wield; they discriminate; they vilify.

The Federal Government recently announced measures to protect those participating in sports through Sport Integrity Australia’s (SIA) Safety in Sport Division.

SIA is set to play a national coordination role for sport integrity-related matters, focusing on those abuses of power.

Initiatives included in the Safety in Sport Division involve the engagement of a Deputy CEO of Safety and Culture Strategy and the expansion of the capability of SIA’s existing 1300 hotline for people to make complaints regarding abuses.

The expanded hotline includes an anonymous reporting capability focusing on wider racial and cultural issues in sports and a broadening of the education platform to inform culturally sensitive issues.

Minister for Sport, Anika Wells spoke about the need for these measures. “Shockingly, since SIA opened its doors, it has received more than 1,300 matters regarding sports integrity which shows the dire need for increased resourcing,” Ms Wells said.

“The expanded hotline will provide people in sport an anonymous way to report abuse and will complement the existing complaints process managed through the National Integrity Framework.”

CEO of Sport Integrity Australia, David Sharpe said Sport Integrity Australia was working to change the culture of sport from the community level up by embedding acceptable behaviours and anti-discrimination attitudes at all levels of sport.

“It is critical we start the conversation and education at the grassroots level because today’s five-year-old could be our 2032 Olympian,” Mr Sharpe said.

Learn more at https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/.

• Topics:

• General Sport