Sport Integrity Australia forecasts evolving threats in build-up to Brisbane 2032 Olympics

The Executive Director of Sport Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) recently appointed, Sarah Benson, says that the nature of threats to clean play will evolve leading to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

Benson, a former Federal Police Chief of Australia Forensic Scientist, was SIA’s interim executive director after David Sharpe’s departure last August.

And by assuming the role permanently last month, he predicted in progress problems from organized crime, doping and setting parties to incidents that involve children in sports.

“Some of the challenges as we are looking for 2032 are really really understanding the vulnerabilities that sport and system in Australia faces those threats of integrity,” Benson said.

“Not only by 2032, but on the way with a series of important events.

“For us, we have started the horizon scan process to see what are those threats of integrity and then look back to the Olympic Games in Paris and in various sports to see what are some global trends and problems that we are seeing in sports.”

Benson added: “The high -level issues that we will see in the future are the impact of emerging technology and AI.

“Online abuse of athletes and officials, that is a problem here and now and it will only be aggravated as the technology and social networks continue to evolve.

“Social attitudes towards friendly competitions … as well as the problems that can be raised in emerging sports such as electronic sports.”

Benson said that achieving a balance between the monitoring of current threats and potentially in the future was vital for SIA.

Last year, SIA achieved more than 250 than children’s protection or discrimination complaints in more than 50 sports.

And in the six months until February of this year, children protection represented 100 percent of the complaints investigated by SIA.

“Those figures are because we have that greatest awareness and also athletes now have a place to go,” said Benson.

“But certainly when we look at children’s protection numbers, no one in their right mind would want to see that number above zero.”

SIA was formed in 2020, replacing the Australian sports anti -doping authority (roasted) while led to all other issues of sports integrity under its umbrella.

Benson said the recent global criticisms of the world anti -doping agency were impacting SIA.

“When confidence in the global system is questioned, then, by extension, it is related to the role we play,” he said.

AAPA