SPORTS ETHICS AND INTEGRITY IN SWITZERLAND

In recent years, ethical issues and sports integrity have gained increasing and widespread importance in the international sports community.

And many sports governing bodies have introduced Codes of Ethics and Integrity Units to apply and enforce them, including Switzerland, where there are dedicated rules on the subject.

The basic idea of ethics in sport is to protect the health and well-being of athletes and to protect the integrity of sport itself, in line with the expectations of the general population.

In Switzerland, there is a Charter for Ethics in Sport, which is overseen by Swiss Olympic and the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO), and forms the basis for such regulation and is now substantiated and implemented with the aid of the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport in Switzerland.

Olympic Values as a Basis

Friendship, respect and excellence are Olympic values, which shape sport across the globe and also play an important role in everyday life.

The Swiss Charter for Ethics in Sport builds on these values and defines the position on ethics in Swiss sport according to nine principles. These principles are:

1. Equal treatment for everyone. Nationality, age, gender, sexual orientation, social background, religious and political affiliation do not lead to discrimination.
2. Sport and social environment in harmony. The demands in training and competition are compatible with education, career and family life.
3. Strengthening personal and shared responsibility. Athletes are involved in decisions that affect them.
4. Respectful encouragement rather than excessive demands. Measures to achieve sporting goals do not damage either the physical or psychological integrity of the athletes.
5. Educating on fairness and environmental responsibility. Behaviour towards others and towards the environment is characterised by respect.
6. Rejecting violence, exploitation and sexual abuse. Physical and psychological violence as well as any form of exploitation are not tolerated. Raising awareness, maintaining vigilance and rigorous intervention.
7. Rejecting doping and drugs. Ongoing information and immediate intervention in the event of consumption, administering or distributing substances.
8. Abstaining from tobacco and alcohol consumption during sport. Demonstrating the risks and consequences of consumption at an early stage.
9. Opposing all forms of corruption. Encouraging and stipulating transparency in decisions and processes. Dealing with conflicts of interest, gifts, regulating financing and gambling, and consistent disclosure.

The Charter for Ethics in Sport must be incorporated into the Statutes of each Swiss Olympic member federation and must be actively put into practice by all participants.

Unethical Incidents as a Trigger for Development

The last few years have seen allegations, again and again, made about unethical training methods used in Swiss sport.

Previously, the responsibility fell to the sports federations themselves to identify any misconduct and abuses within their own organisation and to impose sanctions, if necessary.

The publication of research into the misconduct and abuses in Swiss sport has caused consternation and the political scene has acted accordingly.

In November 2020, the Council of States, the National Council, Swiss Olympic and the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO) advised on this issue and finally demanded the creation of an independent advice centre or reporting service for Swiss sport.

To detect and eradicate any ethics violations and abuses as quickly as possible, Swiss sport has now implemented an independent and secure advice centre in the form of Swiss Sport Integrity.

From the Charter for Ethics in Sport to the Statutes on Ethics

To ensure that the valid principles of the Charter of Ethics for Swiss sport can be implemented, the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport were adopted by the 25th Sports Parliament, which is the highest body of the Swiss Olympic Association, the umbrella organisation for 81 Swiss sports federations

These Statutes on Ethics, together with the relevant organisational and procedural regulations, form a system for reporting and investigating violations of specific codes of practice as well as the detection of abuse in Swiss sport and imposing any sanctions as necessary

Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport

The Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport relate to the national implementation of the Charter of Ethics for Sport and apply to all athletes in Switzerland.

The Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport are binding for all sports federations linked with Swiss Olympic and their direct and indirect member organisations. The ethics provisions apply to all individuals holding a post, licence or membership with an association or federation linked with Swiss Olympic. The same also applies to participants in competitions organised by these organisations. This is applicable regardless of sporting performance level, age and nationality.

Violations of the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport

Article 2 of the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport lists offences and actions which are classed as violations of the ethics provisions.

Abuses

Abuses relate to a culture and to the presence or absence of structures and processes within a sports organization which either prevent the implementation of these Statutes, encourage violations of the Statutes or make violations more difficult or impossible to detect.

Sanctions can be imposed on both individuals and of sports organisations in respect of any abuses.

We advise sports organisations and individuals on all aspects of ethical and integrity issues in sport in Switzerland and further information is available by emailing Dr Lucien Valloni or Kim Gamboni at valloni@valloni.ch and gamboni@valloni.ch respectively.