Addendum to the report | Doc. 14464 Add. | 23 January 2018
Working towards a framework for modern sports governance
Committee on Culture, Science, Education and Media
1. Introduction
- the different codes, standards and principles elaborated since 2005 are largely complementary, with every new initiative building up on the previous ones;
- there are certainly variations in the criteria and the way to measure them, but overall it is easy to extract a number of core common criteria that could form the agreed benchmark.
2. Scope and methodology of the study
3. Proposed recommendations
Concerning transparency
- make public their vision/mission/values and a strategy plan that specifies how to achieve them;
- make public their statute, rules and regulations on their website;
- make public the list of members and the basic information of their officials;
- make public the agenda and minutes of the their General Assembly meetings;
- make public reports/decisions taken by executive bodies and commissions;
- make public an annual general activity report on their websites;
- make public an annual financial report, externally audited according to recognised international standards, including compensation, benefits and/or salary of its president, board members, executive staff and senior officials (where applicable).
Concerning democracy
- hold regular, transparent, free and fair elections of the governing bodies. These have to be based on a detailed electoral regulation, including secret ballots, term limits, eligibility check carried out by a specific independent committee, opportunities for the candidates to present their programme/manifesto, guarantees for gender equality on the board and with regard to the leading officials;
- ensure that the distribution of representative positions in governing bodies reflects gender balance and encourages, to the extent possible, diversity and fair geographical representation;
- put in place a clear governance structure, taking into account the principle of separation of powers;
- establish procedural guarantees for a democratic decision-making process: meeting of their General Assembly at least once a year; meeting of the governing bodies on a regular basis; written reports on the basis of the bodies’ decisions, with sound regulations for open or secret ballots be used depending on the need either to ensure higher transparency or to safeguards anonymity of choices;
- set up guarantees for an efficient decision-making process: clear and auditable separation of functions between executive, administrative and commercial activities; appointment of the management (for example directors and top officials) on the basis of objective criteria (integrity, relevant knowledge, skills and experience) and an impeccable professional history; internal management communication and co-ordination;
- develop external co-operation with governments, the Olympic movement, international and non-governmental agencies on integrity issues.
Concerning integrity
- set up independent audit and compliance committees responsible for: ensuring the adequacy of the organisation’s financial reporting and the integrity of the organisation’s financial statement; assisting the board for the compensation of company executives in the absence of a remuneration committee; checking the organisation’s nominations and appointments and carrying out the eligibility check for the elective offices in the absence of a nomination committee; elaborating risk management strategy and processes;
- conduct an ethical and disciplinary control based on: ethics/integrity code, inspired by the IOC Code of Ethics; clear rules on conflicts of interests; disciplinary rules to combat match-fixing and doping; independent bodies (Ethics and Disciplinary Committees) and a mechanism to manage comments and allegations by whistle-blowers;
- ensure internal appeal mechanisms and external channel of complaint and dispute resolutions.
Concerning development and responsibility
- adopt a financial redistribution policy and programmes for their main stakeholders;
- allocate resources in declared non-profit objectives, in particular in grassroots activities;
- set up an environmental and social responsibility strategy or programme(s), including social and sporting legacy requirements for those (countries, cities, communities) hosting all their events and a close co-operation with governmental and non-governmental agencies on social responsibility issues;
- elaborate an athletes’ policy comprising: a clear anti-discrimination policy; education programmes and assistance during and after career; specific actions to promote health and safety, in accordance with the relevant regulations on the protection of the athletes, spectators, workers, children, youth and other vulnerable groups.
- a level playing field and protection of athletes, including against doping, match-fixing, illegal betting, abuse or trafficking; minimum requirements for athletes’ contracts; youth development in sport;
- the integrity of sports events, including bidding processes and selection of event hosts, ticket pricing and distribution, selection of sponsors, granting media broadcasting rights, building event infrastructure for major events, respect of the bidder and its commercial partners to human rights and labour standards.
Appendix – The core common criteria of good governance in sport
(open)Summary
1. Transparency
1.1. Make public vision, mission, values and strategic objectives
1.2. Make public Statutes, Rules and Regulations
1.3. Make public the list of the members and officials of the Organisation
1.4. Open the activity of legislative bodies to the public
1.5. Make public the reports/decisions taken by executive bodies and commissions
1.6. Make public annual activity reports
1.7. Make public annual financial reports following external audit
2. Democracy
2.1. Regular elections of the governing bodies
2.2. Representation of members and stakeholders
2.3. Separation of powers
2.4. Democratic decision-making
2.5. Efficient decision-making
2.6. External co-operation
3. Integrity
3.1. Internal audit & Compliance Committees
3.2. Ethical & disciplinary control
3.3. Procedural guarantees
4. Development and responsibility
4.1. Distribution of resources
4.2. Allocation of resources in declared non-profit objectives
4.3. Environmental and social responsibility
4.4. Athletes’ involvement, participation and care
* Not explicitly encoded in the regulations of the organisation enlisted in the Glossary but included in other internal documents and/or implemented in practice
Glossary |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Inter-governmental, international and non-governmental organisations |
Council of Europe Committee of Minister’s recommendation CM Rec (2005) 8 on “The principles of good governance in sport” |
2005 |
CoE |
CM Rec. (92)14 Rev on the Code of Sport Ethics |
2010 |
||
PACE Res. 1875 (2012) on “Good governance and Ethics in sport” |
2012 |
||
PACE Res. 2053 (2015) on “The reform of football governance” |
2015 |
||
IOC Basic Universal Principles of Good Governance of the Olympic and Sports Movement |
2008 |
IOC |
|
IOC Code of Ethics |
2016 |
||
Statutes of the IOC Ethics Commission |
2017 |
||
EU Guidelines for Good Governance in Grassroots Sport |
2011 |
GGGS |
|
EU 2013 Principles of Good Governance of Sport |
2013 |
EU |
|
ASOIF Key Governance Principles and Basic Indicators |
2016 |
ASOIF |
|
SIGA Good governance universal standards |
2016 |
SIGA |
|
UNESCO International Charter of Physical Education, Physical activity and Sport |
2015 |
UNESCO |
|
MINEPS VI, Kazan Action Plan |
2017 |
||
Academic research and NGOs |
Basic Indicators for Better Governance in International Sport (BIBGIS) |
2013 |
BIBGIS |
Play the Game Action for Good Governance in International Sport (AGGIS) |
2013 |
PTG |
|
Sports Governance Observer 2015 (SGO 2015) |
2015 |
||
National codes |
Sports Governance Principles (Australia) |
2012 |
AUS |
Code for Sports Governance (United Kingdom) |
2016 |
UK |
|
Code of Good Governance in Flemish sports federations |
2017 |
FLANDERS |
|
International Federations |
FIFA Code of ethics Statutes of FIFA FIFA Governance Regulations |
2012 2016 2016 |
FIFA |
UEFA Statutes UEFA Organisational Regulations UEFA Disciplinary Regulations |
2017 2017 2017 |
UEFA |
|
IAAF Code of ethics IAAF Constitution (2019) IAAF Integrity Code of Conduct Final Proposal for Governance Structure Reform of the IAAF “Time for change” |
2015 2017 2017 2017 |
IAAF |
Theme |
Criterion |
Elements to be considered |
COE |
IOC |
GGGS |
EU |
ASOIF |
SIGA |
UNES-CO |
BIBGIS |
PTG |
AUS |
UK |
FLAN-DERS |
FIFA |
UEFA |
IAAF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. T r a n s p a r e n c y |
1.1. Make public vision, mission, values and strategic objectives |
The Organisation publishes its vision/mission/values and strategic objectives |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
1.2. Make public Statutes, Rules and Regulations |
The Organisation publishes its statutes, by-laws, sports rules and organisation chart |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
1.3. Make public the list of the members and officials of the Organisation |
The Organisation publishes list, basic and biographical information about its board members and senior officials |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
1.4. Open the activity of legislative body to the public |
The Organisation publishes the agenda and minutes of its general assembly |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
1.5. Make public reports/decisions taken by executive bodies and commissions |
The Organisation publishes reports of its standing committees, decisions taken at its executive body meetings |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
1.6. Make public an annual activity report |
The Organisation publishes its annual general activity report and main event reports with detailed and relevant information on its website |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
1.7. Make public an annual financial report following external audit |
The Organisation publishes its annual financial report following external audit |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
The Organisation annually publishes compensation benefits and/or salary of its president, board members, executive staff and senior officials |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Theme |
Criterion |
Elements to be considered |
COE |
IOC |
GGGS |
EU |
ASOIF |
SIGA |
UNES-CO |
BIBGIS |
PTG |
AUS |
UK |
FLAN-DERS |
FIFA |
UEFA |
IAAF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2. D e m o c r a c y |
2.1. Regular elections of the governing bodies |
Election of the President and the majority of members of all executive bodies |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|
Term limits for elected officials |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
The Organisation has detailed regulation for all open positions for elections and appointments including the process for candidates |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
The Organisation offers to the candidates standing for election opportunities to present their programme/manifesto |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||||
Elections are held on the basis of secret ballots |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||
The Organisation encourages gender equity with regard to its leading functions |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
Eligibility checks |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||||||
2.2. Representation of members and stakeholders |
Members of the Organisation and key stakeholders, e.g. active athletes, are represented in governing bodies |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
Obligation to involve the stakeholders in the Organisation’s operations |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
Protection and representation of minority groups |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||||||
2.3. Separation of powers |
A clear separation of power between organisational bodies with regulatory/supervisory, executive, and disciplinary responsibilities |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
2.4. Democratic decision-making |
The Organisation’s general assembly meets at least once a year |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
Governing bodies meet regularly |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
Main decisions are taken on basis of written reports supported by criteria |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||
2.5. Efficient decision-making |
Competence of the members of the executive body |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
An elected independent member sits on the Organisation’s Executive body |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||||
Appointment of senior officials via open procedures and on the basis of objective criteria |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
Separation of functions |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
Internal management, communication and co-ordination |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X* |
X |
|||||||||||
2.6. External co-operation |
Cooperation with governments and intergovernmental organisations |
X |
X |
X |
X* |
X* |
X* |
||||||||||
Cooperation with the Olympic Movement and other sports organisations |
X |
X |
X* |
X* |
X* |
||||||||||||
Cooperation with relevant national and international authorities on integrity (doping, match-fixing) issues |
X |
X* |
X |
X |
X |
X* |
X* |
X* |
Theme |
Criterion |
Elements to be considered |
COE |
IOC |
GGGS |
EU |
ASOIF |
SIGA |
UNES-CO |
BIBGIS |
PTG |
AUS |
UK |
FLAN-DERS |
FIFA |
UEFA |
IAAF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3. I n t e g r i t y |
3.1. Audit & Compliance committees |
Audit & compliance committee |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Control of the financial processes |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
External and independent control |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
Remuneration committee |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||
Nomination committee |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||||
Risk management system |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
Independence of the audit and compliance committee |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
3.2. Ethical & disciplinary control |
Ethics/Integrity Code for all members and officials |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||
Rules on conflicts of interest |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||
Fight against doping and adoption of World Anti-doping Code |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||
Fight against match-fixing |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
Ethics and Disciplinary Committees |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||
Make public all decisions of disciplinary bodies and related sanctions |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||||
Mechanisms for whistle-blower protection |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||
3.3. Procedural guarantees |
Internal appeal mechanisms |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||
The Court of Arbitration for sport (or similar) as an external channel of complaint and dispute resolutions |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
Theme |
Criterion |
Elements to be considered |
COE |
IOC |
GGGS |
EU |
ASOIF |
SIGA |
UNES-CO |
BIBGIS |
PTG |
AUS |
UK |
FLAN-DERS |
FIFA |
UEFA |
IAAF |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4. D e v e l o p m t & r e s p o n s i b i l i t y |
4.1. Distribution of resources |
Financial redistribution policy and programmes |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||
4.2. Allocation of resources in declared non -profit objectives |
Allocation of resources in grassroots activities |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
4.3. Environmental and social responsibility |
The Organisation has an environmental and social responsibility policy and programmes in place |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||
The Organisation has legacy requirements for communities in which its events are hosted |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||
Cooperation with relevant public authorities on social responsibility issues |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
||||||||||||
4.4. Athletes’ involvement, participation and care |
The Organisation has clear anti-discrimination regulation and policy |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||
Education programmes and assistance to athletes during and after career |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
|||||||||
Regulation on the protection of the athletes |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |
X |