Australia Reveals Board Members of Newly Formed Sport Integrity Advisory Council

The government of Australia has announced the names of the appointees forming the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, which will provide strategic advice to both the CEO of Sport Integrity Australia as well as to the Minister for Sport.

World Sailing Vice President Sarah Kenny to Lead the New Agency

Former Australian Sailing Vice President Sarah Kenny will chair the nine-member Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council. The newly appointed Advisory Council is in charge of the oversight and guidance for sport integrity matters in Australia.

The new agency is part of the strategic points embedded in the Sports Integrity Act in 2020 and includes professionals from a wide cross section of sport, governance, government administration, law enforcement and child protection.

The objective of the Sports Integrity Act is to deal with issues covering doping, corruption, fraudulent sport betting and match-fixing activities, as well as to achieve a safe space for playing sports in Australia.

Richard Colbeck, the Minister for Youth and Sport, said each member of the council has a solid experience and knowledge, and this way will contribute to the work of Sport Integrity Australia in strengthening the framework of sport across Australia. Colbeck added:

“I am pleased to announce the nine member advisory council. It follows the Australian Government’s recent investment of $10.1 million to introduce an independent complaints handling process within Sport Integrity Australia.”

The Council Will Fight Corruption, Doping and Match-Fixing

Colbeck praised the appointment of Sarah Kenny as Chair of the Council and highlighted her  national and international experience within the administration of Olympic sailing, as well as her considerable legal experience in corporate law, complex wagering regulatory regime,  anti-money laundering and complicated integrity issues.

Kenny will work together with Australian sports executives Lynne Anderson, CEO of Paralympics Australia, Golf Australia CEO’s James Sutherland and former elite athlete and governance expert Margot Foster, NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney, sports consultant Scott Draper, former National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell, public policy adviser Jason Marocchi and former senior public servant Peter Conran.

The members of the Council are appointed for a two-year term ending on December 18, 2022.

Recently, police have uncovered a suspected international tennis match-fixing scheme headed by former top Australian table tennis player Adam Green. The investigation was initially conducted by Sport Integrity Australia, which detected an unusual pattern of gambling across Australia’s east coast related to matches played in Ukraine.

Adam Green was arrested in the Australian city of Newcastle in mid-December and according to the police, he swindled winnings totalling $500,000 through match fixing over several months.