Swimming Australia's F.I.S.H Values - Our Integrity Commitment
What is sport integrity?
Integrity in sport means that athletes, supporters and fans can participate and celebrate sport, confident in the knowledge that they are part of a safe, ethical and inclusive environment.
Any threats to the integrity of sport (such as competition-manipulation, doping, and behaviours that impact people’s positive experience of sport, such as discrimination or abuse) are taken seriously by Swimming Australia.
Commitment statement
Swimming Australia and its Member Organisations remain fully committed to the protection of children, young people and all members in our sport and encourage swimming clubs throughout Australia to familiarise themselves with the policies and to raise the issue of child safety to everyone involved in their club.
We are committed to providing children and young people with positive and nurturing experiences and will strive to ensure that children and young people are protected from harm.
We aim to ensure that swimming is a safe, fair and inclusive environment for all participants.
Policies
The National Integrity Framework (NIF) is a set of rules that all members of our sport need to follow when it comes to their behaviour and conduct in swimming including obligations to report misconduct. Those rules are contained in the following policies (available below):
- Safeguarding Children & Young People Policy
- Member Protection Policy
- Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy
- Competition Manipulation & Sports Gambling Policy
- Complaints, Disputes & Discipline Policy (CDDP)
- Code of Conduct
These policies will be in force from 1 January 2024.
The NIF allows complaints to be made either to Sport Integrity Australia (an independent government body) or to the Swimming Australia integrity team. The type of complaint will determine where the complaint should go.
| Types of complaints and contacts | Types of complaints and contacts |
| SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA | SWIMMING AUSTRALIA |
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Resources for Clubs
Below is a poster, FAQ sheet and fact-sheet for clubs. We encourage clubs to print these for display and distribution their members and committees.
There are also many useful resources for clubs available on the Sport Integrity Australia website: https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/resources
These include:
National Integrity Framework
National Integrity Framework Factsheets
| What is the NIF? (Fact sheet) |
| Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Member Protection Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Competition Manipulation and Sport Gambling Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Prohibited Conduct (Fact sheet) |
Safeguarding
> Resources – Safeguarding – For Children and Young People
| How Your Sport Looks After Kids (7-12) (Fact sheet) |
| Your Rights At Sport (7-12) (Fact sheet) |
| Your Rights At Sport (13-17) (Fact sheet) |
| How Your Sport Looks After You (13-17) (Fact sheet) |
| How Your Sport Looks After All Its Participants (13-17) (Fact sheet) |
| How We Keep Your Competition Fair and Honest (13-17) (Fact sheet) |
| Protecting Your Sport from the Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine (13-17) (Fact sheet) |
Complaints – see Making an integrity complaint or report | Sport Integrity Australia
| Complaints, Disputes, and Discipline Policy Complaints Process: Step By Step (includes Process Flowchart) (Fact sheet) |
Safeguarding
| Children and Young People Safe Practices Do’s & Don’ts (Booklet) |
| Responding And Reporting to a Breach of Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy (Fact sheet) |
| Recruitment and Screening of Staff and Volunteers in Child-Related Positions (Booklet) |
| Events Involving Overnight Stays (Booklet) |
| A Parents/Carers Guide to Selecting a Safe Sporting Club (Fact sheet) |
| Choosing A Safe Club Poster (Poster) |
| Organising Day Trips Involving Children and Young People in Sport (Booklet) |
| Safeguarding Considerations for Events Held in Public Areas (Booklet) |
| Transporting Children and Young People in Sport (Fact sheet) |
| Induction of New Volunteers and Staff Checklist (Checklist) |
| Recruitment and Screening Checklist (Checklist) |
| Day Trips & Competitions Checklist (Checklist) |
| How to Involve Children and Young People in Your Sporting Organisation (Booklet) |
| Child Protection Reporting Information (Fact sheet) |
Reporting and Respectful Behaviours (scroll to the bottom of the page)
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Hotline: Safe Fair Fun |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Hotline: Speak Up |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Children/Young People: Safe and Fun |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Children/Young People: Responsibility |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Discrimination: Seen Heard Say | Adult |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Discrimination: Seen Heard Say | Youth |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Discrimination: No Place | Adult |
| Reporting Integrity Issues Poster – Discrimination: No Place | Youth |
| Respectful Behaviours Poster |
| Respectful Behaviours Flyer |
| Respectful Behaviours: Be A Good Sport |
Anti-Doping
WHAT IS DOPING?
Doping is the use of substances or methods that are banned in sport. Doping is cheating because it gives one athlete an advantage over others. Doping is also extremely dangerous to your health and can destroy your reputation.
WHAT IS ANTI-DOPING?
Anti-doping is a set of rules designed to protect athletes’ rights to participate in sport free of performance enhancing drugs.
It’s anti-doping that keeps sport fair and keeps the playing field level. When athletes choose not to dope, we say they compete clean.
ANTI-DOPING and SWIMMING
Swimming Australia takes a position of zero tolerance toward doping in sport and works closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) in Australia and World Aquatics internationally to ensure a drug-free environment in our sport.
Anti-doping rules apply to all participants of our sport from elite to grassroots. All members must be aware of, and have a basic understanding of, their obligations regarding anti-doping. The Sport Integrity Australia website has a range of information and resources to assist, including:
- information about supplements
- applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption
- submitting Whereabouts information
- information about athlete testing
Swimming Australia’s anti-doping policy is the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy, effective 1 January 2021, and can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website.
To report a breach of anti-doping rules, submit directly to Sport Integrity Australia via:
- Sport Integrity Australia complaint form; or
- Call 1300 027 232
EDUCATION, RESOURCES AND AWARENESS
When it comes to anti-doping, it is critical that our athletes and their support personnel are aware of their rights and responsibilities. There are a range of tools and resources available to help keep participants informed.
Integrity eLearning
Sport Integrity Australia eLearning offers several online courses relating to sport integrity, including doping, match-fixing, illicit drugs, and ethical decision-making courses. Specific anti-doping courses are also available for coaches, support personnel, medical practitioners and parents.
Athletes and support personnel who are required to complete online education can submit their ‘eLearning certificate’ to Swimming Australia’s Governance Operations Lead on edward.monley@swimming.org.au
Sport Integrity app
The Sport Integrity app is a one-stop shop for all sport integrity needs, designed with athletes in mind.
The app allows users to check whether their medications are banned in sport, find low-risk supplements to reduce their chance of testing positive, and check whether they need a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). The app also provides direction on how to raise concerns about things like doping, child safeguarding or discrimination. It features further information on eLearning modules, whereabouts and testing information and gives users the opportunity to provide feedback to Sport Integrity Australia.
The app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.
Prohibited List of substances and methods
The Prohibited List outlines the substances and methods that are prohibited in sport. It is updated annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Remember that individual products or brands are not named on the Prohibited List. Athletes should check the status of all medications on Global DRO before they use them.
Checking your substances
Global DRO allows users to check whether the most commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medicines in Australia are permitted or prohibited in sport.
If an athlete requires use of a prohibited substance to treat a medical condition, the athlete needs to be aware of the TUE requirements. For more information on a TUE visit the Sport Integrity Australia website.
Other support pathways
Safe Sport Hotline
1800 161 361
7AM-7PM, 7 DAYS A WEEK, 365 DAYS A YEAR
The Safe Sport Hotline is part of an expanded service offered to our members to share their story with a trusted member of the Sport Integrity Australia team about integrity issues they have experienced.
The service includes an anonymous reporting capability that covers wider racial and cultural issues in sport for people who feel they have been discriminated against.
Connect with Support
If you, or someone you care about, is struggling with an issue it’s okay to reach out for support.
MENTAL HEALTH OR WELLBEING SUPPORT SERVICE PROVIDERS
Bullying in Sport
Every person in swimming, in every role, has the right to participate in an environment that is fun, safe and healthy, and to be treated with respect, dignity and fairness.
RESOURCE: BULLYING IN SPORT AND AVAILABLE PATHWAYS
Abusive or Inappropriate Content Online
If you have a concern about abusive or inappropriate material online, you can also report it to the eSafety Commissioner for action. eSafety can investigate cyberbullying of children, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse (sharing, or threatening to share, intimate images without the consent of the person shown) and illegal and restricted content.
REPORT TO THE ESAFETY COMMISSIONER
Integrity eLearning Resources
Play by the Rules
Play by the Rules provides information, resources, tools and free online training to administrators, coaches, officials, players, parents and spectators to assist them in preventing and dealing with discrimination, harassment, child safety, inclusion and integrity issues in sport. For more information on the National Integrity Framework see the magazine Issue 42 – Play by the Rules – Making Sport inclusive, safe and fair.
Commissioner – eSafety Sport Hub
Online abuse can significantly impact sport members and organisations. The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s national independent regulator and educator for online safety. eSafety provides guidance on online safety issues including cyberbullying, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse and illegal or restricted content. eSafety can help to get harmful online content removed if it meets the legal threshold for investigation.
The eSafety Sport hub provides resources to help the sports community including information on how to recognise online abuse and deal with online abuse in sport, as well as tailored advice for sport administrators, coaches and officials, and athletes and competitors.
Stay up to date
Keep up to date with all that is happening in sport integrity by following Sport Integrity Australia on Facebook, X, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn or listen to On Side, the official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia.
Report an integrity matter
For integrity related maters please contact:
Lydia Dowse, National Integrity Manager
P: 0417 993 846
Scott Elliott, Complaints and Compliance Manager
P: 0474 485 023
Other relevant contacts for making a complaint to an authority outside Swimming Australia are:
SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA
The Safe Sport hotline number – 1800 161 361 – has been created by Sport Integrity Australia for members to share their story about issues they have experienced in swimming.
By speaking up you are protected under the Swimming Australia Speak Up Policy (below)
CHILD PROTECTION CONTACT DETAILS
