Sports policy experts from across the Commonwealth have agreed on key principles to protect and promote the integrity of sport meeting at 2016 Annual Meeting of The Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport in London.
Sports policy experts from across the Commonwealth have agreed on key principles to protect and promote the integrity of sport, as they met for the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS) in London.
The advisory body, which is made up of government officials and sports policy experts from Commonwealth countries, advises sports ministers and the Commonwealth Secretariat on how to strengthen sport policy.
The Chair of CABOS, Louise Martin, who is also President of the Commonwealth Games Federation and Chair of sportscotland, commented: "The key outcome of our deliberations was finalisation of the core principles and supporting material that will make up CABOS policy guidance on protecting and promoting the integrity of sport.
“This guide will be submitted to the Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting and I am confident the recommendations will assist Ministers to strengthen sport policy in the Commonwealth," she said.
The advisory body made several recommendations for sports ministers, principally that both governments and sports organisations have shared responsibilities when it comes to the development and protection of sport.
CABOS members further highlighted at the meeting that discrimination, inequality, child protection and safeguarding issues in sport requires an equal level of attention from policy makers, as is spent on financial integrity, doping and the manipulation of sporting competitions.
Sport has been identified as an enabler of development in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Recommendations at the meeting highlighted the strong need for cross-government action to maximise sport’s potential to contribute to national development agendas.
Mark Mungal, Director of Caribbean Sport and Development Agency, and Member of Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport, said: “It is very useful being here. On the one hand, we can take back to the Caribbean region some of the policy recommendations being shared here. We can also bring to the table and the conversation, the Caribbean perspective.”
Participants endorsed recommendations from the Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development and Peace (CYSDP) working group, calling for youth participation to be embedded in national sport policies. The group has called for national youth advisory groups and direct links to national youth councils, in a bid to strengthen sport policies and to promote the sustainable development goals.
Following the meeting, Commonwealth Secretary-General Deodat Maharaj, underscored the role of CABOS in shaping Commonwealth debate and action on sport policy issues.
“Sport has a big impact on society well outside the limits within which it traditionally operates.
“Ahead of their meeting next month, sports ministers will be far better informed on crucial issues such as how to secure the integrity of sport, for example, once they study the recommendations of today’s CABOS deliberations," he said.
Commonwealth Sports Ministers convene in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in August for the 8th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting. The meeting is held every two years alongside the Commonwealth Games or Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Oliver Dudfield, Head of Sport for Development and Peace, commented: “The impact of sport can be both positive and negative. Ultimately sport policy needs to be considered across portfolio areas and a joined up approach is required from government, sport organisations, business and civil society to combat threats to the integrity of sport, and to maxmise the contribution sport can make to sustainable development," he said.
Several international organisations made representations at the 2016 CABOS Meeting today. Sports policy experts from UNESCO, UNOSDP, UNICEF, Council of Europe and Transparency International, all provided interventions in support of CABOS deliberations.
