Latest news with #sportsintegrity
RNZ News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Australian NBL supports landmark arrest for racist message
Montrezl Harrell of the 36ers challenged by Jonah Bolden of the Breakers Photo: Matt Turner The NBL has commended authorities for the "swift and decisive" action in securing the first successful arrest in Australian basketball on charges of racially abusing an athlete via social media. On 2 July Victoria Police arrested and charged a 37-year-old man allegedly responsible for a racist message sent to Adelaide 36ers Montrezl Harrell's social media account in November 2024. Basketball Australia's Integrity Unit worked with police to identify the alleged culprit from Huntingdale. A spokesperson for the Integrity Unit said every athlete "deserves to compete in a safe environment, free from abuse". "There are laws in place to govern appropriate behaviour towards athletes, and it's important the public understands that. "The individuals targeted by hateful messages are human, and Basketball Australia commends the courage it takes to call out this behaviour. "Taking a stand sends a clear message of zero tolerance and helps drive the cultural change needed to create a safe sport and respectful environment for everyone." NBL chief corporate and governance officer Lauren Blecher said the "NBL stands united with Basketball Australia in taking a firm stance against any form of online abuse or vilification. "The action by Victoria Police sends a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated. We are incredibly proud of the collaborative efforts that led to this outcome." The man has been charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass and/or offend. He has been bailed to appear at Moorabbin Magistrates' Court on 15 August. Last year the Breakers backed calls for better protection of players and their families from social media abuse. In early November Tasmania JackJumpers coach Scott Roth revealed for weeks his team's players and their families had been "attacked brutally through social media to the point where it's ugly". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- Sport
- RNZ News
Sport Integrity Commission fields hundreds of complaints in first year
Photo: timhester/123RF New Zealand's independent sports watchdog has fielded hundreds of complaints in its first year, many about bullying and abuse. The Sport Integrity Commission was established in July 2024, after a decade of damning reviews exposed serious gaps in how high performance sport addressed athlete welfare and integrity concerns. Among the commission's core roles is providing impartial resolution of complaints and disputes. The agency also has the power to investigate sports bodies in cases of "complex or systemic threats to integrity". According to figures released under the Official Information Act, the commission received 283 complaints in the year to 30 June 2025, across 70 sports and recreation organisations. Of those, 73 complaints remain active, while 210 have been resolved. In 45 cases, the issues raised were found to fall outside the commission's scope. Te Kahu Raunui chief executive Rebecca Rolls told RNZ the volume of complaints was slightly higher than early predictions. "When we were trying to figure out what we needed to build inhouse, we had to do a bit of modelling," Rolls said. "Some of that was based on the numbers that the [Sport and Recreation Complaints and Mediation Service], which was funded by Sport NZ, had been receiving. "Then we had to factor in our legislation and how that affected scope, so I guess [the increase] is not unexpected. The numbers continue to rise gradually, but we're not seeing a steep climb." The most commonly reported threats to integrity were matters that fall under section 5(d) of the Integrity Sport and Recreation Act 2023, including abuse, bullying, harassment, intimidation, violence and sexual misconduct. "I think what that means is that people are having poor experiences based on other people's behaviour, which is disappointing," Rolls said. "However, it doesn't surprise us that that's where most of them sit, as that section of our legislation does cover off quite a broad set of behaviours and there's a lot of things that fall under that definition." Sport Integrity Commission chief executive Rebecca Rolls is a former cricket and football international. Photo: Supplied The commission declined to name which sports bodies had drawn the most complaints or even identify the highest number of complaints any one organisation had received, but its data showed 97 - or 33 per cent - related to elite-level sport. Rolls said this also represented an increase on early modelling. "Looking at the numbers previously, it was around one quarter elite sport, and three quarters at the community or grassroots end, so that is a bit of a shift. It is probably too early to say if that's a part of a bigger statistical trend or just where things have landed in the first year." The agency also declined to provide information on how complaints had led to a formal investigation being launched, citing a requirement to "protect information, which is subject to an obligation of confidence". However, at least one major inquiry is underway. As first reported by RNZ, the commission launched an investigation into Yachting NZ late last year , after a raft of cultural, athlete welfare and conduct complaints . That probe - initiated under section 32 of the act - is considered the first high-profile test of the agency's powers and is being closely watched across the sector. A former football and cricket international, Rolls said the public spotlight had not changed how her agency approached its work. "I think we would feel the same amount of pressure to get something resolved, whether it was in the media or not," she said. "I think, for any [sports] organisation, we have to be really mindful of what it means for them to be going through a process, whether it's one that's happening now or one that happens in the future - that's an important consideration for us." She declined to comment on the current status of the Yachting NZ investigation. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
The National
18-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Anti-doping is integral to clean sport, which is what makes 'Enhanced Games' so shameful
Late last month, I was deeply honoured to be re-elected for a final three-year term as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency. I readily accepted that honour, with a deep sense of purpose and responsibility. I can think of no more important job in sport than the one carried out by Wada. Our mission is to lead a worldwide collaborative campaign for doping-free sport, and it is something we take extremely seriously. Growing up in Poland, sport was a huge part of my life. Like a lot of children, I spent long hours with my friends playing all kinds of sports but eventually it was athletics – specifically sprinting – on which I concentrated. It was a tremendous honour for me, for my coaches, for my family and for my hometown when I was selected to represent Poland in the 400 metres sprint competition. In those days, I did not think much about doping but I knew one thing – I would never risk bringing shame on my name or my country by taking anything that was prohibited. Sport without doping is something we take very seriously That is why the notion of the Enhanced Games is so abhorrent for us. For the uninitiated, this is a recently launched event that would allow athletes to use performance-enhancing substances without being subject to drug tests. In other words, it is a dystopian concept that seeks to normalise potentially dangerous drugs in sport. By offering financial inducements to susceptible athletes, it encourages them to take potent drugs in order to push their bodies beyond what the human form is capable. It is not merely controversial – it is irresponsible, and it is shameful. It threatens to erode decades of progress in athlete protection, public health and the very ethos of sport. I think most sportspeople have the same conviction that such an event is unacceptable. Nobody grows up dreaming of winning a World Cup or an Olympic gold medal by cheating. They dream of being the best but not through deception. They imagine themselves as the fastest, the strongest, or the most skilful through natural ability and hard work, not by employing the services of a pharmacologist or unscrupulous doctor. Winning by taking that kind of shortcut is not winning. A marathon is 42.2 kilometres long. Can someone who runs only 41.2 kilometres really claim to have completed it? Of course not. The same is true for those who take performance-enhancing substances or use prohibited methods. There is nothing new in the desire of a small minority of people to want to push athletes by coercing them to take prohibited substances. We have seen this movie before, and it does not have a happy ending. Throughout history, we have seen the ill-effects these drugs can have on people. The short, medium and long-term health risks are real. People have died. The Enhanced Games event was launched last month in the US, and its organisers have promised to stage it next year in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, so far, the authorities in the US have done nothing to stop this event from going ahead. In most countries, it would not have been possible because laws around the administration of controlled or illegal substances would mean an event like this simply could not be openly conducted. But for reasons that are not immediately clear, the US Anti-Doping Agency and other government bodies do not seem anxious to stand in the way. However, it has been encouraging to see the rest of the world unite against this misguided experiment. Governments, national anti-doping organisations, sports and athletes have all come together to reject it – and rightly so. Working with such clean-sports partners around the globe, we will continue to monitor and respond to this threat with firmness and unity. This includes urging the authorities in the US to seek ways to prevent the Enhanced Games from going ahead as planned. But this is just one of the issues we face. For the past five and a half years, Wada has been working hard for clean sport. Whether it was the politicisation of anti-doping, the problem of contamination or various attempts by people to cheat the system, it has been a period of challenges. But it has also been a time of resilience and progress. We look forward to building on that momentum and driving even greater success for the agency and the global anti-doping community in the years ahead. Anti-doping today is global movement – one that is strong, modern, accountable, independent and transparent. We follow the evidence – wherever it leads us – because we believe that it builds trust and encourages ethical behaviour while enabling open and honest communication. With the support of our partners, including the UAE government and the national anti-doping organisation, we are energised by innovation, collaboration and the unwavering belief that clean sport matters. Rest assured that we will work harder than ever to protect the integrity of sport and the dreams of the most important stakeholder of all, the athletes.
Daily Mail
11-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
IOC issue death warning over 'utterly irresponsible and immoral' Enhanced Games with damning statement ahead of athletes summit in Switzerland
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has sent out a damning warning over the Enhanced Games, emphasising the mortal consequences the use of performance-enhancing drugs can have on any athlete taking part. The Enhanced Games is a controversial competition which was created as an environment for athletes to take performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to see what the human body can achieve. The first edition of the Enhanced Games competition is slated for May 2026, with Las Vegas playing host, though the IOC and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have since released a joint statement condemning the event. 'As athletes, we believe that the Enhanced Games or any events encouraging the use of performance-enhancing substances and methods are a betrayal of everything that we stand for,' the shared statement read. 'Most importantly, these events undermine the integrity of sport, and the responsibility athletes hold as role models in society. 'Promoting performance-enhancing substances and methods sends a dangerous message – especially to current and future generations of athletes. 'Such substances can lead to serious long-term health consequences – even death – and encouraging athletes to use them is utterly irresponsible and immoral. 'No level of sporting success is worth such a cost. 'We stand firmly together for the values of fair play, ethical behaviour and respect – principles that have shaped our journey and that we believe should guide and inspire the next generation of athletes. 'We will do everything we can to protect the integrity of sport for generations to come.' Unsurprisingly, the Enhanced Games has proven to be a hugely divisive topic in the world of sport, with numerous athletes both past and present voicing their support on both sides. The event will include three sports – athletics, swimming and weightlifting – at a purpose-built complex inside the Resorts World hotel in May 2026, with the backing of a venture capital fund headed up Donald Trump Jr, the US president's son. Athletes will be allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs and winners will receive $250,000, with a $1million bonus for anyone who breaks the world record in the 100 metres sprint or 50m freestyle. Organisers already claim to have broken a world record in the latter event, with Greece's Kristian Gkolomeev alleging to have broken Cesar Cielo's world record by 0.02seconds. The time will not be recognised by World Aquatics - swimming's governing body - but the Enhanced Games insists it is legitimate. The swimmer was taking PEDs and wearing a now-banned 'super suit' for the swim. 'The Enhanced Games is renovating the Olympic model for the 21st century,' said the event's founder Aron D'Souza, the London-based Australian entrepreneur. 'In the era of accelerating technological and scientific change, the world needs a sporting event that embraces the future – particularly advances in medical science. 'We are not just organising competition, we are in the business of unlocking human potential. We are the vanguard of super-humanity.'
Wall Street Journal
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Wall Street Journal
Transgenderism Won't Let Girls Say No
High-school girls in states across the country are being forced to make a choice no athlete should ever have to face: compete against a male athlete in a girls-only event, or walk away from the sport they've trained their whole lives for. This isn't theoretical, and it isn't limited to a few cases. It's happening with the full knowledge and determined endorsement of school and athletic officials. At this season's Oregon track and field state championships, a male athlete, who finished last in the boys' competition two years ago, competed in the girls' high jump. He finished fifth. Across Oregon, female athletes are being coerced to surrender their integrity and dignity to stand on a podium beside someone who doesn't belong in their category.
