Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Integrity

Sport Integrity Australia Official Logo

Boccia Australia National Integrity Framework

 

Integrity - Protecting Boccia together 

Sport should be a safe and fair place for all participants. At Boccia, we offer a safe place for people to raise concerns about behaviour they’ve witnessed or experienced in sport as well as find more information if they have an integrity question.

Staying Safe - Your safety is our first concern 

If you are in Australia and in immediate danger or at risk of harm, call your local law enforcement agency or dial triple zero (000).

What is Sport Integrity? 

Sport is an Australian way of life. It brings people together, transcending differences in language, ability, culture and beliefs, and provides physical, social and economic benefits. 

Threats to a sport's integrity can include competition manipulation and sports gambling, doping, the improper use of drugs and medicine and behaviours that impact people’s positive experience of sport, such as discrimination or abuse, including against children. 

Integrity in sport means that participants, officials, supporters, and fans can participate in and enjoy sport, confident in the knowledge that they are part of a safe, fair, and inclusive environment.

All of our members and participants have an obligation to protect and maintain the integrity of sport, as well as the health and wellbeing of everyone involved. 

Boccia Australia works closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), the national coordination agency for sport integrity threats. For more information about SIA, visit its website.

How to raise a concern 

Everyone from athletes, officials, parents, support personnel, administrators and supporters play a role in protecting the integrity of our sport.

Boccia Australia works with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) to coordinate and manage complaints and reports. Complaints received will be evaluated and either managed by Boccia Australia, referred to SIA or an appropriate external agency, or passed back to the complainant with suggested pathways for them to pursue where the Complaint is out of scope.

 If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, say something!

Raising a concern 

Boccia has opted-in to the independent complaints handling process for integrity-related issues run by Sport Integrity Australia.

From 1 July 2022 concerns or complaints about alleged breachs of our National Integrity Framework can be reported directly to SIA thorugh the following methods: 

  • Filling in a formal complaint or reporting a concern through the form on the SIA website.
  • Phoning 1300 027 232
  • Completing the 'report an issue' form in the SIA app.  This can be anonymous if you choose.

Questions about any integrity related matters can be directed to the Boccia Australia Integrity Manager:

Name: Andrew Johnson
Position: Director
Email: andrew.johnson@boccia.com.au 

Questions about any child safeguarding related matters can be directed to the Boccia Australia Safeguarding Manager:

Name: Richard Boele
Position: Chair
Email: chair@boccia.com.au

What is the National Integrity framework? 

We take sport integrity seriously and in July 2022, Boccia Australia adopted the National Integrity Framework.

The National Integrity Framework is essentially a set of rules that all members of our sport need to follow when it comes to their behaviour and conduct in sport. There are four core policies which make up the National Integrity Framework. These are:

  1. Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
  2. Member Protection Policy 
  3. Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy 
  4. Competition Manipulation and Sports Gambling Policy 

These core policies are underpinned by the Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy, which explains how people who have breached a National Integrity Framework policy are held accountable for doing the wrong thing.  Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy  

Check out the National Integrity Framework FACTSHEET and VIDEO.

Other integrity policies 

In addition to the National Integrity Framework policies, Boccia Australia has the following integrity policies in place:

1.              Code of Conduct Policy

2.              Conduct and Disciplianary Policy (to be added)

 

Who manages complaints? 

 

As a member of a sport that has signed up to the National Integrity Framework, you can make a Complaint if you believe a fellow member has behaved poorly and potentially breached one of the policies.

If the Complaint is about Child Safeguarding or Discrimination, you can make the Complaint to Sport Integrity Australia. 

You can lodge a Child Safeguarding or Discrimination complaint to Sport Integrity Australia by completing the online form.

If you would prefer to talk to someone at Sport Integrity Australia, assistance is available by calling 1300 027 232.

All other integrity complaints should be submitted to and will be managed by Boccia Australia. 

Name: Andrew Johnson 
Position: Director
Email: andrew.johnson@boccia.com.au

 .          

 

 

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 members of sport 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 in their sport.

 

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 sport, 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 innappropiate 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

 

Education and resources

 

When it comes to sport integrity, it is critical for everyone who is involved in sport, from grassroots to elite-level athletes, their parents, teachers, coaches, sport administration staff and support personnel, are aware of their rights and responsibilities. There are a range of tools and resources available to help keep everyone informed.

 

Safeguarding

 

The Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy is designed to protect children and young people in sport by putting in place rules and processes to ensure sporting environments are inclusive, positive and safe for all children and young people, all the time. Check out the FACT SHEET, VIDEO and OTHER RESOURCES.

 

The Child Safe Contact at Boccia Australia is:

Name: Richard Boele

Position: Chair

Email: chair@boccia.com.au

 

Member Protection Policy: MEMBER PROTECTION POLICY 

The Member Protection Policy is designed to protect the welfare, wellbeing and health of everyone involved in sport. It provides clear definitions of abuse, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, discrimination, victimisation and vilification in sport, along with information on how to report these behaviours. Check out the FACT SHEET, VIDEO and OTHER RESOURCES.

 

Improper use of drugs and medicine policy: IMPROPER USE OF DRUGS AND MEDICINE POLICY

The Improper Use of Drugs and Medicines Policy is designed to protect athletes from harm caused by the improper use of medicines, supplements and illegal drugs. Check out the FACT SHEET, VIDEO and OTHER RESOURCES.

 

Competition manipulation and sport gambling policy:COMPETITION MANIPULATION AND SPORT GAMBLING POLICY

The Competition Manipulation and Sport Gambling Policy is designed to keep sport fair by protecting sporting competitions from competition manipulation (also known as match-fixing) and associated betting activity. Check out the FACT SHEET, VIDEO and OTHER RESOURCES.

 

Complaints, disputes and discipline policy: COMPLAINTS, DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINE POLICY 

The Complaints, Disputes and Disciplines Policy (CDDP) provides sport and its participants with a best practice complaint management process that can be run by either Sport Integrity Australia or the sport. Check out the FACT SHEET, VIDEO and OTHER RESOURCES.

 

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 persons, medical practitioners and parents.

 

Play by the Rules   Play By The Rules Logo

 

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.

 

eSafety Commissioner - eSafety sport hub

 Home


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 cyberbullyingadult cyber abuseimage-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.

 

You can also download the Sport Integrity App, which are available for free download from the Apple App Store and Google Play.