Complaints

Boxing Australia is committed to treating complaints and grievances regarding our business operations, services, programs, member association and clubs seriously. Please ensure you have read the relevant Boxing Australia Rules and Regulations. 

Below are two options to assist in lodging a formal complaint or making a report.

Click here to Lodge a Report

  • Reports lodged are merely feedback and intelligene gathering purposes ONLY
  • Can be anonymous
  • No payment
  • No complaint's handling process attached

Click here to Lodge a Complaint

  • Cannot be anonymous
  • Payment required
  • It is a formal process

 

National Integrity Framework

 

Sport Integrity Australia

What is sport integrity?

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

For those reasons, it's critical that we keep Boxing safe and fair, for everyone who participates.

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

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

Boxing Australia takes integrity seriously.

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

We work closely with Sport Integrity australia, the national agency established to protect sport against integrity threats. For more information visit the Sport Integrity Australia website.

Reporting integrity issues

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

In 2022, Boxing signed up to the National Integrity Framework, which is a suite of integrity policies developed by Sport Integrity Australia, and an independent complaint handling process. This means that from 24 October 2022, concerns or complaints about alleged integrity breaches can be reported directly to Sport Integrity Australia by filling out the webform on the Sport Integrity Australia website.

Boxing will continue to handle 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 rules

The following policies are now in place:

  • National Integrity Framework
  • Member Protection
  • Child Safeguarding
  • Improper Use of Drugs and Medicines
  • Competition Manipulation and Sports Wagering
  • Complaints, Disputes & Discipline
  • Anti-doping

All policies and guidelines can be found here. 

Policy Information

Anti-Doping

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:

For more information about Anti-Doping click here.

Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine

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:

  • Medical practitioners working in our sport are accredited and qualified to fulfil their duties
  • Medicines are used in appropriate ways
  • Safe use of supplements which comply with the World Anti-Doping Code
  • Illegal drug use is prohibited in our sport

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.

Click here to view our Improper Use of Drugs & Medicines Policy.

Competition Manipulation and Sports Wagering

Manipulating sports competitions, commonly known as 'match-fixing' is when someone alters a sporting competition to removew the unpredictable nature of the competition to obtain an undue advantage, or benefit.

People are motivated to manipulate competitions for a variety of 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 also result in a criminal conviction and up to ten years in jail. Participants of a sport involved in manipulating competitions will also likely face a long ban from sport. More information can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website.

Safeguarding

Participation in sport should be safe for all. We are committed to ensuring that people in sport, including children, are treated with respect, dignity and are protected from bullying, discrimination, harassment or abuse.

The Child Safeguarding and Member Protection highlight the important legal and governance responsibilities in relation to child safety and member protection.

 

Breaches of Integrity Policies

All alleged breaches in relation to our National Integrity Framework and associated integrity policies will be managed under the Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy.

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.

Lodging a Complaint

Below are some simple tips to remember when considering lodging a complaint with Sport Integrity Australia.

- Anyone can make a complaint.
- Complaints help us take action against people who aren't upholding the integrity standards of our sport. By speaking up - you are protecting all other people around you.
- Only complaints relating to alleged breaches of prohibited conduct under the National Integrity Framework can be submitted to Sport Integrity Australia.
- Complaints can only be actioned by Sport Integrity Australia if the person who allegedly committed the behaviour is bound by our sport (i.e. they must have agreed to be bound by the policy via membership or agreement).
- Complaints can only be actioned by Sport Integrity Australia if the alleged conduct occured after 24 October 2022.
- Complaints relating to selections, governance, personal grievances, whistleblower or code of conduct are not covered under the National Integrity Framework. Complaints of this nature should be submitted as outlined in the relevant Boxing Australia's Regulations. 
- More information is available on Sport Integrity Australia's website.

To report a breach of an integrity policy, submit directly to Sport Integrity Australia via:
- Sport Integrity Australia's website
- Phone: 1300 027 232

Education, resources and awareness

When it comes to sport integrity, 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.

Integrity eLearning

Sport Integrity Australia eLearning offers a number of online courses relating to sport integrity, including child safeguarding, doping, match fixing, illicit drugs and ethical decision-making courses. There is also a new course specifically about the National Integrity Framework. Specific anti-doping courses are also available for coaches, support persons, medical practitioners and parents.

Athletes required to complete education can submit their 'eLearning certificate' to integrity@boxing.org.au.

Sport Integrity app

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.

Prohibited List of substances and methods

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.

Checking your substances

Global DRO 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

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.

 

National Integrity Enhancement Capability grant program.

Applications for the National Integrity Capability Enhancement grant program are now open.

The Program will help support recognised national sporting organisations and national sporting organisations for people with disability (NSO/NSODs) increase their integrity capability by embedding the National Integrity Framework at all levels of their sport.

The Program will be administered by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA).

To apply please submit an online form via the SmartyGrants link below before 3pm, Thursday 15 June 2023. No late applications will be accepted. Successful applicants will be notified from Friday 23 June 2023.

For more information, visit the Program's page on our Grants and Funding website.

 

Start to Talk campaign.

 

Start to Talk is a national campaign aimed to encourage parents and sporting organisations to discuss how they can work together to create a child safe environment.

 

The Start to Talk webpage which has been developed by Play by the Rules provides resources and material developed by Sport Integrity Australia to assist organisations create a Child Safe Sport.

 

We encourage you to share this information with your network to spread the work and Start to Talk about how organization in your sport can start this important conversation. #StartToTalk.

 

To assist with this - please find attached a communications pack and assets for your use on social media.

 

Thanks in advance for your help and assistance in sharing this information with your networks.

 

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­For further information please contact playbytherules@sportintegrity.gov.au

 

Stay up to date on social media

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.