Australia establishes council to advise new sports integrity body

The nine-member council will advise Sport Integrity Australia, a new agency formed as part of the implementation of the Sports Integrity Act in 2020, which looks to coordinate efforts to stamp out corruption in the country’s professional sports.

Sport Integrity Australia commenced operations in 1 July, acting as the country’s watchdog for any sporting corruption matters, such as match-fixing or doping.

The council will provide strategic advice to both the chief executive of the agency, as well Minister for Sport Richard Colbeck.

It is made up of leading names from across sport, governance, government administration, law enforcement and child protection.

World Sailing vice president Sarah Kenny will chair the council, with support from Paralympics Australia chief executive Lynne Anderson and Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland.

Former elite athlete and governance expert Margot Foster will also serve on the board, as well former New South Wales Police Commissioner Ken Moroney, and senior public servant Peter Conran.

Sports consultant and former elite athlete Scott Draper, former National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell and policy adviser Jason Marocchi make up the nine-member council.

“I am looking forward to working with the other highly respected Advisory Council members to bring together our combined experience and knowledge to advise on all aspects of sport integrity and to assist in safeguarding the integrity of Australian sport,” Kenny said.

Minister Colbeck added: “By establishing Sport Integrity Australia and the National Sports Tribunal, increasing investment into independent compliant handling and forming the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, Australians can be confident everything possible is being done to keep the sport they love clean, safe and fair.”