Australian Sports Commission - Ethics in Sport –

Codes of Behaviour
Member protection codes of behaviour

Suggestions for member protection codes of behaviour are set out below. These may be
included in part or in full in a sport’s member protection policy or used for other purposes
where a sport does not have any existing codes of behaviour. This is not an exhaustive
summary of codes of behaviour.
 General Code of Behaviour
As a member of [sport], a member association or an affiliated club or a person required to
comply with [sport’s member protection policy], you must meet the following requirements in
regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by [the sport], a member
association or an affiliated club and in any role you hold within [the sport], a member
association or an affiliated club:

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.

2. Be fair, considerate and honest in all dealing with others.

3. Be professional in, and accept responsibility for, your actions.

4. Make a commitment to providing quality service.

5. Be aware of, and maintain an uncompromising adhesion to, [the sport]’s standards, rules,
regulations and policies.

6. Operate within the rules of the sport including national and international guidelines which
govern [the sport], the member associations and the affiliated clubs.

7. Do not use your involvement with [the sport], a member association or an affiliated club to
promote your own beliefs, behaviours or practices where these are inconsistent with those of
[the sport], a member association or an affiliated club.

8. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with

persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example.

9. Avoid unaccompanied and unobserved activities with persons under 18 years of age,
wherever possible.

10. Refrain from any form of harassment of others.

11. Refrain from any behaviour that may bring [the sport], a member association or an
affiliated club into disrepute.

12. Provide a safe environment for the conduct of the activity.

13. Show concern and caution towards others who may be sick or injured.

14. Be a positive role model.

15. Understand the repercussions if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, this code of
behaviour.
 Coach Code of Behaviour
In addition to [the sport]’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following
requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by [the sport], a
member association or an affiliated club and in your role as a coach appointed by [the sport],
a member association or an affiliated club:

1. Do not tolerate acts of aggression.

2. Provide feedback to players and other participants in a manner sensitive to their needs.
Avoid overly negative feedback.

3. Recognise players’ rights to consult with other coaches and advisers. Cooperate fully with
other specialists (for example, sports scientists, doctors and physiotherapists).

4. Treat all players fairly within the context of their sporting activities, regardless of gender,
race, place of origin, athletic potential, colour, sexual orientation, religion, political beliefs,
socio-economic status and other conditions.

5. Encourage and facilitate players’ independence and responsibility for their own behaviour,
performance, decisions and actions.

6. Involve the players in decisions that affect them.

7. Encourage players to respect one another and to expect respect for their worth as
individuals regardless of their level of play.

8. Ensure that the tasks and/or training set are suitable for age, experience, ability, and
physical and psychological conditions of the players.

9. Ensure any physical contact with players is appropriate to the situation and necessary for
the player’s skill development.

10. Be acutely aware of the power that you as a coach develop with your players in the
coaching relationship and avoid any sexual intimacy with players that could develop as a
result.

11. Avoid situations with your players that could be construed as compromising.

12. Actively discourage the use of performance enhancing drugs, and the use of alcohol,
tobacco and illegal substances.

13. Do not exploit any coaching relationship to further personal, political or business interests
at the expense of the best interest of your players.

14. Accept and respect the role of officials in ensuring that competitions are conducted fairly
and according to established rules.
15. Know and abide by rules, regulations and standards, and encourage players to do
likewise. Accept both the letter and the spirit of the rules.

16. Be honest and ensure that qualifications are not misrepresented.

 Administrator Code of Behaviour
In addition to [the sport]’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following
requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held by or under the auspices of
[the sport], a member association or an affiliated club and in your role as an administrator of
[the sport], a member association or an affiliated club:

1. Resolve conflicts fairly and promptly through established procedures.

2. Maintain strict impartiality.

3. Be aware of your legal responsibilities

Official Code of Behaviour

In addition to [the sport’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following
requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by [the sport], a
member association or an affiliated club and in your role as an official appointed by [the
sport], a member association or an affiliated club:

1. Place the safety and welfare of the players/participants above all else.

2. Accept responsibility for all actions taken.

3. Be impartial.

4. Avoid any situation which may lead to a conflict of interest.

5. Be courteous, respectful and open to discussion and interaction.

6. Value the individual in sport.

 Player Code of Behaviour
In addition to [the sport]’s General Code of Behaviour, you must meet the following
requirements in regard to your conduct during any activity held or sanctioned by [the sport], a
member association or an affiliated club and in your role as a player/participant in any activity
held by or under the auspices of [the sport], a member association or an affiliated club:

1. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of fellow players, coaches, officials and spectators.

2. Do not tolerate acts of aggression.

3. Respect the talent, potential and development of fellow players and competitors.

4. Care for and respect the equipment provided to you as part of your program.

5. Be frank and honest with your coach concerning illness and injury and your ability to train
fully within the program requirements.

6. At all times avoid intimate relationships with your coach.

7. Conduct yourself in a professional manner relating to language, temper and punctuality.

8. Maintain high personal behaviour standards at all times.

9. Abide by the rules and respect the decision of the official, making all appeals through the
formal process and respecting the final decision.

10. Be honest in your attitude and preparation to training. Work equally hard for yourself and
your team.

11. Cooperate with coaches and staff in development of programs to adequately prepare you
for competition at the highest level.
 Parent/Guardian Code of Behaviour
As a parent/guardian of a player/participant in any activity held by or under the auspices of
[the sport], a member association or an affiliated club, you must meet the following
requirements in regard to your conduct during any such activity or event:

1 Respect the rights, dignity and worth of others.

2. Remember that your child participates in sport for their own enjoyment, not yours.

3. Focus on your child’s efforts and performance rather than winning or losing.

4. Never ridicule or yell at your child and other children for making a mistake or losing a
competition.

5. Show appreciation for good performance and skilful plays by all players (including opposing
players).

6. Demonstrate a high degree of individual responsibility especially when dealing with or in

the vicinity of persons under 18 years of age, as your words and actions are an example.

7. Respect officials’ decisions and teach children to do likewise.

8. Do not physically or verbally abuse or harass anyone associated with the sport (player,
coach, umpire and so on).

9. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every young person regardless of their gender,
ability, cultural background or religion.

10. Be a positive role model.

11. Understand the repercussions if you breach, or are aware of any breaches of, this code of
behaviour.
 Spectator Code of Behaviour
As a spectator in any activity held by or under the auspices of [the sport], a member
association or an affiliated club, you must meet the following requirements in regard to your
conduct during any such activity or event:

1. Respect the decisions of officials and teach young people to do the same.

2. Never ridicule or scold a young player for making a mistake. Positive comments are
motivational.

3. Condemn the use of violence in any form, whether it is by other spectators, coaches,
officials or players.

4. Show respect for your team’s opponents. Without them there would be no game.

5. Do not use violence, harassment or abuse in any form (that is, do not use foul language,
sledge or harass players, coaches, officials or other spectators).

6. Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every person regardless of their gender, ability,
cultural background or religion.
 Australian Sports Commission - Ethics in Sport -
Legislation
There are legislative requirements that sporting organisations must meet to ensure they
provide environments and workplaces that are safe. Two of the relevant pieces of legislation
relating to sport ethics are anti-discrimination and child protection. This site provides:

 A summary of child protection legislation that affects the sports industry

o Commission for Children and Young People Act 1998 (NSW)
o Child Protection (Prohibited Employment) Act 1998 (NSW)
o Children and Young Persons (Care and Protection) Act 1998 (NSW)
o Child Protection (Offenders Registration) Act 2000 (NSW)
o Commission for Children and Young People Act 2000 (Qld)
o Working With Children (Criminal Record Checking) Act 2004 (WA)

 Mandatory reporting of child abuse

o What is mandatory reporting?
o What are the benefits of mandatory reporting requirements?
o Who is mandated to report child abuse in each state?
 Age of Consent in Australia
The age of consent, as defined in relevant legislation, varies from state to state. The
age of consent may be an important factor for sporting groups to consider when taking
teams away, especially if the team consists of junior players in open-age squads, for
codes of conduct and related policies.

 Police check guidelines

Information and internet sites on police clearances and checks for those people
working with children and adolescents in either a voluntary or paid capacity

 Play by the Rules also offers information on:

o Sport and the Law for Governing Bodies
o Sport and the Law for Sporting Clubs and Groups
o Sport and the Law for Players and Participants
o Court and Tribunal decisions
o Frequently asked questions
 Information sheet series
Racial, sexual and disability harassment and discrimination are unlawful under state
and federal legislation. An explanation of the federal legislation and general information
on the various forms of discrimination and harassment is presented in the information
sheets.
o Information Sheet on Racial Discrimination and Harassment
o Information Sheet on Sexual Discrimination and Harassment
o Information Sheet on Disability Discrimination and Harassment
 Sport and the Law – Play by the Rules.net
The laws or rules that govern an organisation can be grouped into two types:
external rules and internal rules.

External rules

Organisations are subject to external laws, rules and community standards of

behaviour. These rules exist in the form of statutes and common law,
which include:

 providing a safe environment: All individuals and organisations have a

duty to act responsibly. Conduct not meeting an appropriate standard of
care may constitute negligence and may result in liability for the individual
and the organisation.
 following fair procedures: All private and public organisations are
required to ensure fair procedures for all members.
 respecting human rights: All members must be treated equitably, and
organisations may not discriminate when employing staff and providing
services.
 complying with child protection laws: These laws, in place in all States
and Territories of Australia, aim to protecting children and young people
from child abuse and neglect.
 avoiding criminal actions: All individuals and organisations are subject to
the criminal codes.

Internal rules

Internal regulations are standards that an organisation makes for itself. This
could include your Member Protection Policy, constitution and policies, as well as
by-laws, codes of conduct, the rules of the game and any guidelines for
behaviour.

All levels of sporting organisations must comply with certain legislative

requirements. Failure to comply not only exposes them to legal action, but may
endanger members and expose them to unnecessary risk and harm.

(Adapted from Fairholme, J., & Ferguson, P. It's More Than Just A Game, 4th
Edition. p 58 Vancouver, BC, Canada: The Canadian Red Cross Society. For more
information, read RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention, at www.redcross.ca)
 Australian Sports Commission - Ethics in Sport Unit
“The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most
important thing in life is not the triumph but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered
but to have fought well”
(Olympic Creed)

“Sport can teach honour, physical skills, discipline, self-esteem, humility, the team concept
and healthy lifestyles. Sport can also teach cheating, create inflated egos, give a sense of
entitlement and reinforce distorted body images and poor health consequences. Ethics in
sport can explain the gap between the amazing benefits sport can provide and the horrible
damage it can inflict.”
( US Anti-Doping Agency, Struggling with Ethics in Sport – the Journey 2005)

Background

There is growing national and international concern about ethical issues in sport including
doping, child abuse, spectator violence, sexual assault and misconduct, lack of respect for
officials and opposing players, and undue parental pressure on young children. In particular,
during 2004 adverse publicity surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct by coaches and
athletes and incidences of spectator violence and disrespect generated concerns about
whether sport is engendering or tolerating violent and inappropriate cultures, and whether the
conduct of sportsmen and women (particularly professional athletes) is in decline.

If sport loses its integrity and value as something worth honouring, it will have many
detrimental effects, not least of all, challenging the cultural importance that sport has in
Australia. Other effects include:

 Diminishing sports ability to provide positive role models for young people
 Diminishing community support and respect
 Diminishing its ability to be an agent of social cohesion
 Decreasing corporate support
 Decreasing membership
 Increasing litigation and insurance costs
 Increasing negative media coverage

It is also worth noting that many of the inappropriate behaviours occurring in sport are not
only socially unacceptable but are in fact illegal and have long-term negative effects on
people’s lives.

National and international studies conducted over the past five years on attitudes about sport
reveal that there is a gap between the ‘sport that we want’ and the ‘sport that we have’
[footnote1].

What most people want of sport is:

  Athletes who can achieve (and win) in a fair manner and act as good role models
 Participants to play not only by the rules of the game but in the spirit of the game
 Sport to be an environment that is enjoyable and untainted by cheating, violence,
abuse and other unacceptable practices
 Respect shown by all involved in sport, especially for decisions of officials.

Many people believe that sport naturally serves as a vehicle for education, health, leadership
and sportsmanship (fair play) and that sport, whether by design or default, is playing an
increasingly powerful role in the personal and moral development of people. In today’s
society, many young people are looking for alternatives to religion, education or their families
for moral guidance – and sport frequently is having to provide this.

Others believe that sport is “failing to achieve its potential to positively influence the moral and
personal development of youth and strengthen communities.” [footnote2] They believe
positive values are not automatically transmitted in sport - that it all depends on how sport is
encouraged, managed, taught and practiced.

Participating in sport is a value-laden experience. We interact in highly intense and

emotionally charged situations with a whole variety of other people. Even though we may not
consciously set out to do so, we ultimately demonstrate, teach, explain and learn values and
moral lessons in sport.

Ensuring that sport remains sustainable into the future and retains its value to society means
ensuring that it has a strong and continuing ethical framework and standards of conduct. It
also means that participants, whether they are paid employees, players, coaches or
volunteers, understand the ethical framework and incorporate it into all aspects of their sport.

The Essence of Australian Sport

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has developed a set of guiding ethical principles for
the sport industry entitled The Essence of Australian Sport. This was developed as one or four
initiatives in response to industry, political and public concern about whether sport is
engendering or tolerating violent and inappropriate cultures, and whether the conduct of
sportsmen and women (particularly professional athletes) is in decline. It has been developed
in conjunction with representatives of the sport industry (at all levels and roles) and the St
James Ethics Centre to:

 provide a statement on what sport in Australia ‘stands for’ – its core principles and
values;
 provide a consistent and positive foundation (cornerstone) for the development of
codes of conduct and policy, strategic planning and program development;
 remind and focus people on the positive aspects, value and benefits of sport;
 remind people that everyone has a role to play in promoting and displaying good
sportsmanship and fair play values.

The Essence of Australian Sport is applicable to all individuals at all levels in the Australian
Sport Industry (athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, spectators, etc from the grass
roots to elite level).
The key to the success of the principles will be its wide adoption and application by the entire
industry. The ASC is not looking to impose its ownership of the principles onto sport, nor force
their compliance, rather assist sport to adopt this positive initiative.

The principles in a poster format, have an accompanying brochure outlining practical

examples of programs, ideas and initiatives to assist organisations to integrate and promote
The Essence of Australian Sport within their organisations, will be distributed to the sports
industry in late February 2006.

Ethical issues in sport

Some of the ethical issues confronting the sport industry (on an individual and/or
organisational level) include:

 Corruption, gambling, cheating, bribery, match fixing

 Corporate governance – cronyism, paternalism, nepotism, favouritism, discrimination
and/or bias in organisational and board governance and in the appointment of people
to paid or voluntary positions
 Team selection – bias, non-transparent policies
 Verbal and physical abuse (including death threats) of officials/referees/umpires
 How and when coaches touch athletes
 Victimisation of those who speak out or make a complaint about something they
consider to be inappropriate
 Sportsmanship/fair play/sporting values – being able to maintain and enhance the
values around fairness, loyalty, cooperation, teamwork, courage and responsibility in
an environment that encourages winning, that frequently condones the ‘win at all costs’
ethos, and where the financial incentives and benefits for winning and breaking records
is increasing
 Expectation for athletes to be role models/ambassadors at all times (both on and off
the field)
 Performance enhancing drugs
 Excessive alcohol consumption and use of recreational drugs
 Racial harassment and vilification (particularly in the use of ‘sledging’ to put a player off
their game)
 Harassment/bullying (particularly where is seen as accepted practice/culture to
psychologically ‘toughen’ up athletes)
 Spectator violence
 Abusive/aggressive parental behaviour
 Infectious Diseases (questions regarding athletes with a known infectious disease
being allowed to play contact sport)
 Sexuality discrimination and homophobia
 Transgenders (questions regarding participation at the elite level by male to female
transgender athletes)
 Genetic doping/therapy/manipulation
 Science and technology (at what point does the technology surpass the influence of
the athlete’s performance and in the process devalue the performance; are some
technological innovations (other than drugs) are dangerous?)
 Pain-killing injections (are these and other methods ethical in allowing the athlete to
continue to perform while injured?)
  Eating disorders (are some sports contributing to the prevalence of eating disorders?)
 Sponsorship demands
 Sexualisation and/or exploitation of athletes
 Pregnancy in sport (women’s rights vs fetus’ rights)
 Violence on the sporting field (is it an important and useful tradition of masculinity and
an outlet for stress and anger or should it all be stamped out)
 Hormone Replacement therapy (related to the drug testing of mature aged female
athletes)
 Questionable game tactics (e.g. sledging, time wasting, slow play)
 Media’s role (media can affect the conduct and/or alter the spectator’s and public’s
perception of the conduct of a player(s), particularly when the media’s emphasis is on
foul play, antics off the field and/or sexualisation of athletes).

Ethical Dilemmas/Scenarios

An important aspect of ethics in sport is dealing with ethical dilemmas – situations where the
course of action is unclear or where reasonable people cannot agree on what ought to be
done or not done.

 You find out that one of your team mates is using a prohibited substance to enhance
their performance? Do you confront your team mate? Do you report the behaviour? Do
you ignore the situation?
 You’re running out of time in your match, do you fake an injury so the official will call a
time-out?
 During the play your opponent falls down. The play is over and there’s a break in the
action. Do you help your opponent up?
 An athlete suffers an injury during play. He is the best player on the team and is
needed for the team to win. Do you give him an injection to numb the pain so he can
continue to play?
 Your opponent has an injured knee. Your coach directs you to try to knock the
opponent out of the game by targeting the knee (without getting caught). What do you
do?
 You’re a goalie in a soccer shoot-out. You know it’s against the rules for you to
advance on the ball until it has been kicked, however, if you move toward the shooter
before the ball is kicked, you can cut down the angle of the kick and have a much
better chance of stopping the shot. If you had a good chance at getting away with it,
would you try and sneak toward the shooter before the shot?
 During a tennis game, the ball is called in. You know it was out. Do you say nothing
and take the point?
 In soccer, the best player on the other team already has a yellow card. Do you
deliberately fake a foul hoping that player will be red carded and removed from the
game?
 Before you putt it, you notice your ball has moved a fraction of an inch. The rulebook
calls for a one-stroke penalty. No one else saw the ball move, and you don’t believe
the movement of the ball have you any advantage, So you continue your round without
calling a penalty on yourself? [this happened to US golfer, Wendy Ward, and she called
the penalty on herself and finished one stroke out of the playoff. She said there was no
other option for her as she stands for integrity]
  Is it acceptable for the media to portray women in skimpy outfits or sexual poses which
may diminish the focus on the result or actual performance, even if it helps increase
their exposure and the public’s potential appreciation of the particular sport / event?
 In relation to equal payments / prizes for men and women in professional sports,
should everyone receive the same amount even if the revenues generated are
disproportionate and the event is run as a business?
 Is the batsman, in the action of ‘walking’, showing great sportsmanship by
acknowledging to the umpire they believe they are out, or is the batsman showing
disrespect to the umpire by not allowing him to adjudicate on the decision? If a
batsman is respected for ‘walking’ when they know they are out, should the batsman
be given the same respect for standing their ground when they know they are not out,
but have been given ‘the finger’ by the umpire? Should individuals be given the
opportunity to decide if they walk or not, or should the team decide as a whole what
their stance will be? Does the action of one player, in either walking or not walking,
influence or pressure other team mates in their decision to walk or not walk?

Quick tools to help make an ethical choice

 Consider how your decision would affect those involved?
 Is the decision respectful, honest, responsible, fair, safe?
 What would you do if everyone you loved and respected knew what you were going to
do?
 Would you be proud of your decision/action?
 What would your role model or someone you admired do in the same situation?
 As a potential or actual role model to others, what decision would you want them to
follow?

Summary of Recent Research

1. TNS Social Research, Good Sports – On and Off the Field – prepared for the
Australian Sports Commission (August 2005); Canberra

In early 2004, adverse publicity given to the off-field behaviour of some high-profile
sportspeople raised concerns about the integrity of Australian sport. In response to these
concerns the ASC invited representatives from within the sport industry to form a reference
group which could inform an industry-wide approach to addressing the issue. Research was
identified as one of the priority strategies and in September 2004, TNS Social Research
(TNS) was commissioned to undertake the “Good Sports – On and Off the Field” research.
The research has provided the ASC with useful information about the extent, type and
incidence of positive and negative attitudes, behaviours, values and cultures that exist in
Australian sport and may prompt sporting organisations to develop or enhance their current
strategies or offer support programs to deter harassment, assault and other inappropriate
behaviour in sport.

Due to confidentiality obligations related to research participants and respondents , the entire
report cannot be published. However, as a service to the industry, the ASC has produced a
comprehensive overview of the pertinent research outcomes in the form of a summary report
which does not breach any confidentiality.

Key Findings
  The benefits of sport were found to far out-weigh any negatives. Main benefits included
physical, social and family benefits
 Behaviour in sport, on and off field, was perceived to have become worse or remained
the same in the last five years
 Behaviours classified as ‘acceptable’ were those that readily aligned with higher
community standards of moral behaviour such as following the rules, respecting the
umpire’s decision and respecting the opposition
 Any behaviour which is illegal and/or not socially acceptable outside of sport, was also
not acceptable within the sport setting (includes sexual abuse, assault, rape, racism,
physical abuse, harassment)
 While there was acceptance that sometimes these behaviours were perpetrated by
and on sport people, research participants did not believe that sport was the direct
facilitator of the above inappropriate behaviours
 There were a range of behaviours about which there was much less agreement as to
whether they were wholly acceptable or unacceptable such as:
o Unfair team/player selection including nepotism, the exclusion of less skilled or
competent players (junior sports) and ‘stacking’ the team
o Verbal abuse of players including sledging, racist and sexist comments and any
comments made about a players that was not related to their performance on the
sporting field (i.e. personal comment)
o Excessive alcohol consumption and use of recreational drugs
o Spectator violence including spitting, fighting, rioting, excess alcohol
consumption
o Angry parents denigrating children
o Any abuse of officials
 Most research participants felt that elite sports players were expected to behave
appropriately at all times, both on and off the field. At a non-elite level, where a player
has no public profile, expectations of appropriate behaviour extended from on-field to
limited off-field situations such as club or game related functions.

2. Ethical Governance of Australian National Sporting Organisations; Jim Daly – Adjunct

Scholar; University of South Australia (August 2005)

The purpose of the research was to explore ethical governance issues occurring within
national sporting organisations and make recommendations on how governance practices
might be improved to address the issues. The research provides a behavioural dimension to
governance issues.

Key Findings

Respondents identified the following ethical governance practices that National Sporting
Organisations (NSO) should adopt within their present structures.

 Assuring integrity in dealings with sponsors, players/officials and members was

identified by 93% of respondents.
 Equal opportunity for all players, athletes, officials and board members to perform at
their highest level was identified by 88% of respondents.
  It was acknowledged that board members would have inevitable conflicts of interest
and that these should be identified, for example when state interests influence board
members decision-making. It should be also noted that although some NSOs were
changing from the traditional federal organisational structures to a more business-
oriented board in order to address potential conflicts of interest, there was a reticence
among smaller NSOs boards in particular, to completely change their structures. Some
considered that a balance between a federal and completely independent-type of
business structure might be possible.
 There was an ambivalent response to disclosure of contract details and sponsorships
with surprisingly low responses (between 21% and 31%) to these issues; however
when best practices from the business sector were considered, respondents rated this
ethical issue highly (81.8%) in favour of disclosure of financial and other information.
Some NSOs with large sponsorship support and player contracts were not in favour of
disclosure and some were unhappy about answering the question, but smaller NSOs
with little or no outside financial assistance did not have a problem with disclosure
issues.

The responses about future ethical governance problems, challenges and priorities faced by
NSOs over the next three to five years were mainly positive

 By far the highest priority was maintaining the traditional values of sport. This included
fairness, honesty, discipline, character building and team spirit. It was also evident that
a balance between the changing governance structures to meet the ethical
expectations of the community and maintaining the traditional values of sport is
needed.
 Another high priority was transparent decision-making and fairness in business,
administration and professional matters.

The need for fairness and openness in dealing with international governance issues was
raised. Australian NSOs are increasingly influenced by global governance decisions over
which they seem to have little control. This highlighted concerns that the major decisions in
sport were becoming globalised.

3. Research into Spectator Behaviour ; La Trobe University for Sport and Recreation Victoria
(March 2005)

A study into poor spectator behaviour in sport in Victoria was commissioned to identify:

 the extent, type and incidence or poor spectator behaviour at the community level,
 the circumstances in which it occurs,
 the characteristics of the perpetrators, and
 factors and processes which might minimise such behaviour.

Key Findings

 Poor spectator behaviour is not a significant problem for the majority of sports
 Poor spectator behaviour can have a negative effect on the sport experience of those
involved
 Verbal abuse is the most prevalent form of such behaviour
  The behaviour is more likely to occur in team sports where incidental physical contact
may occur rather than those where such contact is not allowed or is required
 Males, general supporters and parents or guardians are more likely to engage in such
behaviour
 Fewer than half of the Victorian SSOs record details of poor spectator behaviour
occurrence
 A majority of SSOs believe that the standard of spectator behaviour is the same or
better than 5 years ago
 The factors associated with poor spectator behaviour include parental expectations,
win at all costs mentality, poor knowledge of the rules, open versus closed
environments, venue size and entry design, timing of games, officiating and playing
standards, club/venue culture, role of the coach, pressure of final minutes of the game
and competition/season (finals)
 Significant confusion exists as to the location of responsibility for the control of poor
spectator behaviour, the jurisdiction of the individual/club/organisation
 Behaviour management strategies are dependent upon the people involved to develop
and enforce a culture of good spectator behaviour.

4. Colmar Brunton Social Research, Ethics in Sport – Report prepared for the
Australian Sports Commission (April, 2003): Canberra.
 80% of all people and/or groups surveyed believe that ethics in sport is important and
will remain so
 99% of national administrators and 93% of national athletes believe being ethical in
sport is more important than sporting success
 98% of state athletes and 89% of local and/or state administrators believe being ethical
is as important as sporting success
 officials, referees, coaches and local athletes had mixed views on the issue

Ethical issues perceived to be most problematic were:

 over emphasis on talented performers

 too much and/or undue pressure placed on children
 women’s and men’s sport not viewed equally by society

Ethical issues most commonly experienced as problems were:

 inappropriate player behaviour

 inappropriate parent behaviour
 over-emphasis on talented performers
 inappropriate and/or aggressive spectator behaviour

Ethical issues perceived to have the greatest impact across all levels of sport (top 5) were:

 harassment
 inappropriate player behaviour
 inappropriate and/or aggressive spectator behaviour
 inappropriate coach behaviour
 inappropriate administrative practices
 match fixing and/or bribery.
Ethical issues seen to have most impact at national level of sport were:

 performance enhancing drugs

 unequal access to advanced technology
 media coverage of sport (angles used, focus of articles)

5. Decima Research, 2002, Canadian Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport (July
2002) – Report prepared for Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

The ethical issues seen to be most serious in terms of problems facing youth in sport were:

 overemphasis on winning and competition

 resource issues (cost of participation, lack of facilities)
 parental involvement (too little or too much)

Other ethical issues such as violence, drugs and doping, and harassment were also
mentioned but the public expressed less concern about these.

Direct involvement in community sport activities appears to have some influence on attitudes
about youth and sports. Canadians who participate in such activities in some capacity are
more positive about the contribution of sport to youth values and even more so in terms of
how sport benefits the broader community.

6. Dr Mike McNamee, Sporting conduct: A survey of sports spectators’ perceptions of

the values and norms of selected professional sports (November 2001)
University of Gloucestershire, Cheltenham UK

This research was conducted because of growing concern that the ‘conduct’ of professional
sportsmen and sportswomen is in decline and to help discussion about ethical issues in sport.
Football, tennis, cricket and golf spectators were surveyed. Finding showed:

 24% of spectators’ interviewed thought players did not show respect for officials (90%
of golf spectators thought golfers showed respect for officials but only 24% of football
spectators thought the same as far as football was concerned).
 only tennis spectators thought that respect for the officials had improved over the last
ten years (29%)
 across all sports there was a clear perception that players themselves had the greatest
responsibility for ensuring fair play
 general perception of a decline in the standards of conduct of players in cricket and
football, a maintenance of standards in golf and an improvement in tennis.

Bibliography

The following is only a select bibliography:

 Boxill, J (2003), Sport ethics – An anthology, London, Blackwell.

 Brackenridge, C (ed) (2001), Spoilsports: understanding & preventing sexual
exploitation in sport, London: New York, Routledge.
  Coaching Association of Canada, Canadian Journal for Women and Coaching Online -
Justifications for Unethical Behaviour in Sport: The Role of the Coach May 2004, Vol.
4, No. 4 (PDF link)
 Colmar Brunton Social Research, (April, 2003), Ethics in Sport – Report prepared for
the Australian Sports Commission: Canberra.
 Daly. J, (August 2005), Ethical Governance of Australian National Sporting
Organisations, report prepared for the Australian Sports Commission: Canberra
 Decima Research, (July 2002), 2002 Canadian Public Opinion Survey on Youth and
Sport, Report prepared for the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (www.cces.ca)
 DeSensi, JT and D Rosenberg (2003), Ethics and Morality in Sport Management,
Morgantown WV USW, Fitness Information Technology.
 Kirby S (ed) (2000), The Dome of Silence: sexual harassment and abuse in sport,
Halifax, N.S., Fernwood Publishing.
 La Trobe University for Sport and Recreation Victoria, (March 2005), Research into
Spectator Behaviour; report prepared for Sport and Recreation Victoria; Melbourne and
the Australian Sports Commission: Canberra
 Lumpkin, A, Stoll SK et al. (2003), Sport Ethics – Applications for Fair Play, New York,
McGraw-Hill.
 Malloy, D, Cruise S et al. (2000), Sport Ethics – Concepts and Cases in Sport and
Recreation. Buffalo, New York, Thompson Educational.
 Mastrich, J (ed) (2002), Really winning: using sports to develop character & integrity in
our boys, New York, St Martin’s Press.
 McNamee, MJ (2001), Sporting Conduct: a survey of sports spectators’ perceptions of
the values and norms of selected professional sports (November 2001), University of
Gloucestershire, Cheltenham UK.
 McNamee, MJ and Parry, SJ (1998), Ethics and Sport, London, E&FN Spoon.
 Morgan, WJ, Meier, KV, et al. (2001), Ethics in Sport, Champaign, Human Kinetics.
 TNS Social Research, (August 2005), Good Sports – On and Off the Field, report
prepared for the Australian Sports Commission: Canberra

Footnotes
1. UK Sporting Conduct Survey, 2001; Canadian Public Opinion Survey on Youth and
Sport, 2002; Australian Survey on Ethics in Sport, 2003.
2. Introduction to The Sport We Want Symposium, Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport,
2003