Integrity in sport professional services

With so much money circulating sport and the desire to win, the need for integrity in sport, at the elite and grass roots’ levels, has never been greater than at the present time.

The foundation of sport is fairness in all respects, especially on the field of play. There must be a level playing field on which sports persons may compete.

This requirement is also expected by sports fans, who wish to see and enjoy fair competitions, whose outcomes should always be unpredictable and not pre-ordained.

Any attempts, for example, to match fix and manipulate the outcome of sports competitions not only devalues the endeavours of the athletes and spoils the experience of their fans, but also devalues and undermines sport itself.

Likewise, the need for clean and drugs-free athletes is a sine qua non for their participation in sport, without this and other forms of cheating, such as so-called ‘mechanical doping’ in cycling. Success in sport should depend solely on the physical and mental attributes and abilities of athletes and not on other factors.

Being able to compete in a safe environment is also a basic need of athletes, without, for example, being subjected to sexual advances and undue physical pressures from coaches and managers, for example, to achieve their sporting goals. Examples of such abuses have occurred in swimming and gymnastics and in other sports as well.

The International Olympic Committee has given a clear lead in recognising and combatting all forms of unfair competition and encourages sports governing bodies to set up Integrity Units to deal with such an inimical problem and strengthen the governance and disciplinary measures and sanctions of their sports. Zero tolerance of unfairness of any kind must be the name of the game.

Our Law Firm can advise sports governing bodies on all aspects of such a fundamental and important matter as integrity in sport and to assist them in drawing up the necessary Codes of Conduct and Ethics.

For further information about our professional services in respect of this important area of sports regulation and control, please contact our Managing Partner, Dr Lucien Valloni, by emailing him at ‘valloni@valloni.ch’.