Sport Integrity Declaration

Preamble

We, the International Federations, the United Sports of the World, are deeply concerned about the growing threats to sport integrity in today’s globalised world.
We acknowledge that new technologies and the rising commercial value of sport have both positive and negative consequences. On the one hand, they enhance the development, resources and visibility of sport. On the other hand, they attract dopers, fixers and other cheats.
When we uphold the credibility and integrity of sport, we uphold its ability to inspire the youth, to promote cultural exchange, and to improve local and global social cohesion at every level.
We claim that sport is not only a universal language; it is also a universal right. The diversity of sport reflects its richness, its cultural value and potential. United, we will promote sport as a human right and ensure that it serves to benefit all communities and societies.
We, the International Federations, the guardians of the rules of our sports and competitions, commit to the promotion of sport integrity within our scope, and to leading the way in uniting the sport movement and all peoples towards this objective.

Integrity: A Universal Principle

Integrity is a multi-faceted principle. It evokes entirety, wholeness, purity, indivisibility, consistency, sincerity and tolerance.

Integrity is the integration of outward actions and inner values. A person with integrity does what they say they will do in accordance with their values, beliefs and principles. A person of integrity can be trusted because he or she never veers from inner values, even when it might be expeditious to do so. A key to integrity, therefore, is consistency of actions that are viewed as honest and truthful to inner values.*

Integrity and tolerance are drivers for social cohesion. They are drivers for personal and collective fulfillment and lifestyle. They are drivers for open-mindedness and consideration of all cultures, all religions and all beliefs.

Sport: A Universal Language

Sport transcends cultures, religions and beliefs. Sport is a meeting place for cohesion, integration and education, supporting physical and mental accomplishment. There is no other human activity that has such potential to unite people and peoples.

Sport has the power to change the world. It has the power to inspire. It has the power to unite people in a way that little else does. It speaks to youth in a language they understand. Sport can create hope where once there was only despair. It is more powerful than government in breaking down racial barriers. It laughs in the face of all types of discrimination.**

Sport Integrity: A Universal Challenge

Integrity in sport relies on the authenticity of the outcome of sporting competitions that are entirely and exclusively based on the merits of the competitors involved.
Integrity constitutes the essence of sport, as well as the authenticity seal and ultimate guardian of its innate values.
Today, sport faces a plethora of challenges to its integrity that, in their scope, dynamics and consequences, threaten its commercial and public appeal.

• Recalling Article 7 of the UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education and Sport (1978):

Top-class sport and sport practised by all must be protected against any abuse. The serious dangers with which phenomena such as violence, doping and commercial excesses threaten its moral values, image and prestige pervert its very nature and change its educative and health promoting function. (…) A prominent place must be assigned in curricula to educational activities based on the values of sport and the consequences of the interactions between sport, society and culture.

• Recalling Article 1 of the Council of Europe Sports Charter (1992):

The promotion of sport as an important factor of human development implies to protect and develop the moral and ethical bases of sport, and the human dignity and safety of those involved in sport, by safeguarding sport, sportsmen and women from exploitation from political, commercial and financial gain, and from practices that are abusive or debasing.

• Recalling the Council of Europe Code of Sports Ethics (1992), Sport Integrity and Fair Play encompasses the same challenges:

Fair play is defined as much more than playing within the rules. It incorporates the concepts of friendship, respect for others and always playing within the right spirit. Fair play is defined as a way of thinking, not just a way of behaving. It incorporates issues concerned with the elimination of cheating, gamesmanship, doping, violence (both physical and verbal) exploitation, unequal opportunities, excessive commercialisation and corruption.

Fair play is a positive concept. Sport is cultural activity which, practised fairly, enriches society and the friendship between nations. Sport is also recognised as the individual activity which, played fairly, offers the opportunity for self-knowledge, self-expression and fulfilment; personal achievement, skill acquisition and demonstration of ability; social interaction, enjoyment, good health and well-being.

Power in Unity: United Sports Declaration

Stressing the tremendous need for international sports organisations to unite in the fight to protect sport integrity and to preserve the sportsmen and women, the sports fans and the public from cheating and other misbehaviour in sport, we endorse and adopt the present Declaration.
Not underestimating the need for international cooperation and coordination with intergovernmental stakeholders and law enforcement authorities to secure our events and sports, by the present Declaration we stress that the sport movement shall take the lead in upholding the following principles.

• We commit to be at the forefront of protecting sport integrity, by enrolling all stakeholders in the movement, in particular athletes as role models, and coaches as tutors
• We commit to abide by common principles of integrity inspired by the value of fair play in sport
• We commit to the development of standards for sport and all stakeholders, to achieve a worldwide and universal approach to sport integrity
• We commit to uphold and promote all the present and future inspirational benefits of sport and to continue to work on the development of, and access to our sports
• We commit to influence positive change in society through sport
• We commit to motivate and fascinate, for the glory and the history, for the spirit and the wisdom, and to stand for the good and integrity in sport
• We commit to educate.

* National Sport Commission, Australia.

**Nelson Mandela.