Orienteering Australia (OA) takes integrity seriously.
All our members and participants have an obligation to protect and maintain the integrity of our sport, as well as the health and well-being of all people who participate.
We work closely with Sport Integrity Australia to protect our sport against integrity threats.
Everyone from athletes, parents, support personnel, administrators and supporters play a role in protecting the integrity of our sport.
OA is a signatory to the National Integrity Framework (NIF). This is a suite of integrity policies developed by Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), and an independent complaint handling process. This means concerns or complaints about alleged integrity breaches can be reported directly to Sport Integrity Australia. You do this by filling out the webform on the Sport Integrity Australia website.
OA handles all non-National Integrity Framework related matters, such as Selection Policy Disputes. You can find more information about who manages what sort of sport complaints here.
Our Integrity Policies
Anti-doping rules apply to all participants of our sport from elite down to grassroots. All members must be aware of, and have a basic understanding of, their obligations in regard to anti-doping. The Sport Integrity Australia website has a range of information and resources to assist, including:
The improper use of drugs and medicine in sport, including the use of supplements and the provision by unqualified and unauthorised people are a risk to the health of athlete and the integrity of sport.
To counter these risks, we have put in place an Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy which ensures:
For more information, check out the Improper Use of Drugs and Medicines Fact Sheet.
Click here for information to help 13-17 year old’s understand the Improper Use of Drugs and Medicines Policy.
Manipulating sports competitions, commonly known as ‘match-fixing’ is when someone alters a sporting competition to remove the unpredictable nature of the competition to obtain an undue advantage, or benefit.
People are motivated to manipulate competitions for reasons such as to get a better draw in a round-robin tournament (often referred to as tanking) or to avoid relegation to a lower competition. Another reason people manipulate competitions is to profit through betting markets by underperforming intentionally.
In Australia, the manipulation of sporting competitions can result in a criminal conviction and up to ten years in jail. Participants of a sport involved in manipulating competitions will likely face a long ban from sport. More information can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website.
For more information, check out the Competition Manipulation & Sports Wagering Fact Sheet.
Click here for information to help 13-17 year old’s understand Competition Manipulation and Sports Wagering Policy.
Participation in sport should be safe for all. We are committed to ensuring that people in sport, including children, are treated with respect and dignity. They are protected from bullying, discrimination, harassment or abuse.
The Safeguarding Children and Youth Policy and Member Protection Policy highlights the important legal and governance responsibilities in relation to child safety and member protection.
For more information: Child Safeguarding check out the Child Safeguarding Fact Sheet.
For more information: Member Protection check out the Member Protection Fact Sheet.
All alleged breaches in relation to our National Integrity Framework and associated integrity policies will be managed under the Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy.
Our Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy sets out the process for resolving complaints arising from a breach of an eligible policy.
Complaints in relation to breaches under the National Integrity Framework will be managed independently by Sport Integrity Australia.
For more information on the Complaints, Disputes and Disciplines Policy check out the Complaints, Disputes and Disciplines Fact Sheet.
Below are some simple tips to remember when considering lodging a complaint with Sport Integrity Australia.
To report a breach of an integrity policy, submit directly to Sport Integrity Australia via:
Sport Integrity Australia website
Phone: 13 000 27232
For all other complaints, report directly to the Orienteering Australia National Integrity Unit via integrity@orienteering.asn.au.
It is critical that our athletes and support personnel are aware of their rights and responsibilities. There are a range of tools and resources available to help keep participants informed.
Sport Integrity Australia eLearning has seceral online courses relating to sport integrity, including child safeguarding, doping, match fixing, illicit drugs and ethical decision-making courses. There is a course specifically about the National Integrity Framework. Specific anti-doping courses are available for coaches, support persons, medical practitioners and parents.
Athletes required to complete education should ensure they select ‘orienteering’ as their sport when completing eLearning packages.
The Sport Integrity app is a one-stop shop for all sport integrity needs, downloaded by more than 50,000 Australian athletes and support staff.
The app allows users to check whether their medications are banned in sport, find low risk supplements to reduce their change of testing positive accidentally, and check whether they need a Therapeutic Use Exemption. The app also provides direction on how to raise concerns about things like doping, match-fixing, harassment or illicit drug use. 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.
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 before they use them on GlobalDRO.
GlobalDRO 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 Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) requirements. For more information on a Therapeutic Use Exemptions visit Sport Integrity Australia’s website.
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, inclusion and integrity issues in sport.
Keep up to date with all that is happening in sport integrity by following Sport Integrity Australia on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram or listen to On Side, the official podcast of Sport Integrity Australia.