Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has thrown a “challenge” to sports bodies worldwide to be certified under the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS), after the European Rugby League became the first organisation to do so.
SIGA chief executive officer Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, in describing the European Rugby League’s Silver certification as a “ground-breaking moment” said: “This is also the day that we call on other sports organisations to show the leadership that the present time demands and commands to adopt SIRVS.”
“We would like to encourage the industry to understand the significance of this certification. There can be no excuses from the International Olympic Committee, FIFA, or anyone. The European Rugby League has shown that if it really wants, impossible is nothing.
“Today is a great day. Let’s make it a source of inspiration. The challenge is made, (and) I look forward to the reactions,” he added, during a virtual press conference yesterday.
European Rugby League’s general manager, David Butler, said SIRVS had helped the body identify what excellence in sports governance looked like.
“It has helped us to identify gaps and given us a standard to work towards to resolve those gaps,” said Butler.
“The independence of the audit is key as it gives our members and our partners assurances that we haven’t marked our own homework, and that European Rugby League stands up to the high standards that SIRVS sets.
“We are very pleased to achieve the Silver rating and we are progressing our corrective action plan with a view to achieving Gold status in the future.
“Our directors used to serve for unlimited terms. As a result of going through SIRVS, we have been told that this isn’t the industry’s best practice,” he said.
“We will now introduce a cap on the term. Now, our directors serve three years for one term, and can only serve a maximum of three terms (nine years).”
SIGA, the world’s leading organisation for sport integrity, developed SIRVS to usher sport, and the wider industry, into a new era of enhanced governance, integrity, transparency, and accountability.
Twentytwo13 is a SIGA permanent media partner.
After an independent tender process, British Standards Institution (BSI) was awarded the bid to develop, audit and operate SIRVS on behalf of SIGA, with SIGA issuing the final certificate.
There are three SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity. They are:
- Good governance
- Financial integrity and transparency
- Sports betting integrity
A fourth pillar that would address youth development and child protection was being developed.
The SIRVS certification is valid for three years with a review of every 12 months to ensure that best practices continue to positively evolve in the sports organisation.
