Ethics

sportscotland actively promotes and supports the ethical organisation, running and delivery of sport.  We define ethics in sport as the ‘systematic application of moral rules, principles, values and norms’. Perhaps more simply put, ethics means practicing the following core values in sport:

• Fairness
• Integrity
• Respect
• Equity

These values can be seen in many different areas of sport such as participation trends, players’ conduct or the actions of administrators, design of disciplinary processes or team selection.  To help sport organisations tackle these problems in a coordinated and proactive way sportscotland has developed an ethics programme that includes a range of projects, resources, guidance and support for sport organisations. 

Ethics and corporate governance

sportscotland recommends that sports organisations take a committed approach to ethical behaviour through their corporate governance processes, including carefully constructed constitutions, disciplinary procedures, employment procedures and codes of conduct. Organisations should incorporate their key ethical values into their overall aims and structures. 

Ethical behaviour – such as protecting the welfare of children, or increasing equity and diversity in the organisation - should not be viewed as an
‘add-on’ to other activities, but rather as part of everything that the organisation does. An organisation’s ethical values and aims should underpin all its functions, from employment, to training, communications, and sports development.  Actions to ensure the sport is run ethically should be incorporated into strategic and planning documents, policies, and systems as far as possible.

This can be achieved effectively, but requires an organisation to take a long-term approach and to be seriously committed to incorporating ethics in to all areas of the organisation. This often involves genuine cultural change,  a new approach and real dedication to what could potentially create the biggest positive impact in your organisation.

sportscotland’s network of Partnership Managers can provide support for sports governing bodies in terms of effective corporate governance. Please contact the main enquiry line if you are unsure who the Partnership Manager is for your Governing Body: sportscotland.enquiries@sportscotland.org.uk

Sports clubs can access a host of other useful advice and resources on the Help for Clubs website. Who is the ethics website for?

The ethics section of sportscotland’s website is for anyone involved in sport who is looking to find out more about ethics in sport. It has information about key issues such as sports equity, anti-doping, child protection, and data protection. The information on the website will help to give you an overview of the main issues around ethical sport today. It will also provide some organisations, such as Scottish Governing Bodies of sport, with more practical information about how to ensure their sport is delivered ethically.

The website also provides information on how sportscotland meets its own duties as a public body, for example how we respond to our public sector equality duties. There are also links to other useful resources, websites and  organisations.

Ethics In Sport: A Guide for Sports Organisations

A key resource in the sportscotland ethics programme is the Ethics in Sport guide which examines the sporting ethical issues most common and relevant to Scottish sport.  It is not a philosophical textbook, but rather a practical introduction to ethics in sport.  The guide can be used to further your basic knowledge of ethics in sport, or simply to remind you of some of the very real ethical issues that exist in sport.  It can also be used within your sport organisation as a reference guide or as a resource for the development of a corporate governance or ethics and equity programme. 

Each topic discussed throughout our ethics and equity website is also addressed in the Ethics in Sport guide. For further information on any aspect of sportscotland’s Ethics programme, please contact our Ethics Manager.