Integrity

What is sport integrity?

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

Integrity in sport means that everyone who participates – athletes, coaches, officials, administrators, support staff and fans – can enjoy and celebrate sport, confident in the knowledge that they are part of a safe, fair and inclusive environment.

Threats to sports integrity include things like illicit drug use, doping, competition-manipulation and behaviours that detract from people’s positive experience of sport, such as discrimination or abuse.

Integrity in Flying Disc Sports

Australian Flying Disc Association and its Member Organisations are committed to safeguarding our sport.

All flying disc participants and organisations have an obligation to protect and maintain the integrity of flying disc sports – both Ultimate and Disc Golf – and the health and wellbeing of others within these sports.

AFDA works closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), the national agency established to protect Australian sport against integrity threats. For more information visit the Sport Integrity Australia website.

To provide sports at all levels with guidance in the integrity space, Sport Integrity Australia has developed the National Integrity Framework (NIF).  AFDA has adopted the five NIF policies covering child safeguarding, member protection, improper use of drugs and medicine, competition manipulation and sports gambling and a policy on complaints and dispute.

As well, AFDA has adopted a new Code of Conduct which covers areas such as misuse of social media, behaviour at events, conflict of interest, misuse of power over others, and improper use of information. 

The formal integrity policies, rules and processes that AFDA has adopted do not replace the great traditions that “The Spirit of the Game” has brought to flying disc sports.  The two streams are complementary. The NIF and other integrity policies provide a best-practice framework that applies across Australian sport but with specific customisation to reflect the structure and culture of flying disc sports.

Complaints & Reports

Complaints and reports can be made to either:

  • Sport Integrity Australia for matters relating to child safeguarding or discrimination*; or
  • AFDA for all other matters.

* Discrimination is unfair treatment based on a person’s age, disability, race or ethnicity, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation or religion.

For more information about making a complaint or report go to Making Complaints & Reports.

The National Integrity Framework (NIF)

The Board of AFDA has adopted the five National Integrity Framework policies with a date of effect of 1 January 2024.

The NIF policies are:

These policies apply to all participants and organisations involved in all disciplines of flying disc sports.

Anti-Doping

In addition to the NIF policies, Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) is also responsible for Anti-Doping policy implementation.  SIA is the National Anti-Doping Organisation which applies World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) Code in Australia.

AFDA has also adopted SIA’s Australian National Anti-Doping Policy.

All flying disc participants are bound by the Anti-Doping Policy.

All participants must be aware of, and have a basic understanding of, their obligations in regard to anti-doping.  Players, volunteers and staff who are preparing for or competing at international level must undertake anti-doping education. For detailed information about Anti-Doping policies and processes go to the Sport Integrity Australia website.

For an “athlete-friendly” explanation of anti-doping processes players should read this Q&A prepared in association with the SIA Athletes Council.

Code of Conduct

The Board of AFDA has adopted the AFDA Code Of Conduct, effective from 1 January 2024.

The Code of Conduct covers areas such as misuse of social media, behaviour at events, conflict of interest, misuse of power over others, and improper use of information. 

The Code of Conduct is not part of the NIF but it is connected through the NIF’s AFDA Complaints Disputes and Discipline Policy which provides the process for addressing Code of Conduct allegations of Prohibited Conduct.

For more information about the Code of Conduct go here.

Integrity Systems & Education

AFDA continues to put updated and new systems in place to enable compliance by flying disc organisations and individuals to the integrity policies.

These include requirements for Working With Children/Vulnerable People checks (WWCC) for a range of roles, anti-doping education for high performance athletes/players and coaches/staff, member protection and child safeguarding education for various roles.

AFDA Education Plan is now in place and outlines the mandatory and recommended online learning requirements for each level and participant type.