NATIONAL INTEGRITY FRAMEWORK
integrity - protecting american football together
Sport should be a safe and fair place for all participants. At AFA, we offer a safe place for people to raise concerns about behaviour they’ve witnessed or experienced in sport as well as find more information if they have an integrity question.
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STAYING SAFE
Your safety is our first concern.
If you are in Australia and in immediate danger or at risk of harm, call your local law enforcement agency or dial triple zero (000).
what is sport integrity?
Threats to a sport’s integrity can include competition manipulation and sports gambling, doping, the improper use of drugs and medicine, and behaviours that impact people’s positive experience of sport, such as discrimination or abuse, including against children.
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Integrity in sport means that participants, officials, supporters, and fans can participate in and enjoy sport, confident in the knowledge that they are part of a safe, fair, and inclusive environment.
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All of our members and participants have an obligation to protect and maintain the integrity of sport, as well as the health and wellbeing of everyone involved.
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We work closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), the national coordination agency for sport integrity threats. For more information visit www.sportintegrity.gov.au
HOW TO RAISE A CONCERN
Everyone from athletes, officials, parents, support personnel, administrators and supporters play a role in protecting the integrity of our sport. AFA works with SIA to coordinate and manage complaints and reports. Complaints received will be evaluated and either managed by AFA, referred to SIA or an appropriate external agency, or where the Complaint is out of scope, passed back to the complainant with suggested pathways for them to pursue.
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If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, say something!
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RAISE A CONCERN
Questions about any integrity related matters can be directed to the AFA Integrity Manager:
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Name: Wade Kelly
Position: CEO & Performance Director
what is the national integrity framework?
We take sport integrity seriously and in October 2023, AFA adopted the National Integrity Framework.
The National Integrity Framework is essentially a set of rules that all members of our sport need to follow when it comes to their behaviour and conduct in sport. There are four core policies which make up the National Integrity Framework. These are:
1. Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
3. Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy
4. Competition Manipulation and Sport Gambling Policy
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These core policies are underpinned by the Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy, which explains how people who have breached a National Integrity Framework policy are held accountable for doing the wrong thing.
5. Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy
Learn more here.​​​​​
OTHER INTEGRITY POLICIES
In addition to the National Integrity Framework policies, AFA has the following integrity policies:
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Code of Conduct
WHO MANAGES COMPLAINTS?
As a member of a sport that has signed up to the National Integrity Framework, you can make a Complaint if you believe a fellow member has behaved poorly and potentially breached one of the policies.
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If the Complaint is about an issue relating to child safeguarding, discrimination or anti-doping, you can make a report to Sport Integrity Australia.
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All other integrity complaints should be submitted to and will be managed by AFA.
ISSUES TO REPORT TO SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA
Anything that may constitute Prohibited Conduct under the Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy, or that may constitute discrimination based on a protected characteristic, should be reported to Sport Integrity Australia.
This includes conduct such as:
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Misconduct with a Child
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Sexual behaviour with or around a child
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Shaming, humiliating, intimidating or belittling a child
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Causing a child physical pain or discomfort
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Supplying of drugs or alcohol to a child
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Discrimination based on:
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Race or ethnicity
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Age
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Disability
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Sex or sexual orientation
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Religion
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Doping (managed under the sport’s Anti-Doping Policy).
You can also report any prohibited conduct under the Member Protection Policy, if it involves a child.
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To report Prohibited Conduct, visit Make an Integrity Complaint or Report.
ISSUES TO REPORT TO YOUR SPORT
AFA will manage complaints on all other National Integrity Framework (NIF) matters, as well as continuing to manage complaints on non-NIF issues.
This includes conduct such as:
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Abuse
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Bullying
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Harassment
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Victimisation
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Sexual Misconduct
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Match, race or competition fixing and other types of Competition Manipulation
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Supplying inside information for the purposes of gambling
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Betting by members on their own sport
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Unlawful use of over the counter or prescription drugs
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Inappropriate use or provision of supplements
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Use, possession or trafficking of illegal drugs
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Concealing information about Prohibited Conduct
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Selection and eligibility disputes
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Competition Rules disputes
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Code of Conduct breaches
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Social Media Policy breaches
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Governance misconduct
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Employment disputes
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Complaints that are solely a Personal Grievance
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Whistleblower disclosures
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Any conduct that occurred before your sports NIF commencement date
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Any other policies that your sport has.
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To report any of the above, contact complaints@americanfootball.org.au
OTHER SUPPORT PATHWAYS
SAFE SPORT HOTLINE
1800 161 361
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The Safe Sport Hotline is a place for anyone in sport to feel heard, seek support and guidance around integrity matters in sport.
EDUCATION AND RESOURCES
When it comes to sport integrity, it is critical for everyone who is involved in sport, from grassroots to elite-level athletes, parents, teachers, coaches, sport administration staff and support personnel, to be aware of their rights and responsibilities. There are a range of tools and resources available to help keep everyone informed.
SAFEGUARDING
The Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy is designed to protect children and young people in sport by putting in place rules and processes to ensure sporting environments are inclusive, positive and safe for all children and young people, all the time.
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Learn more here.
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Our Child Safe Contact at AFA is:
Name: Wade Kelly
Position: CEO & Performance Director
MEMBER PROTECTION POLICY
The Member Protection Policy is designed to protect the welfare, wellbeing and health of everyone involved in sport. It provides clear definitions of abuse, bullying, harassment, sexual misconduct, discrimination, victimisation and vilification in sport, along with information on how to report these behaviours.
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Learn more here.
COMPETITION MANIPULATION AND SPORT GAMBLING POLICY
The Competition Manipulation and Sport Gambling Policy is designed to keep sport fair by protecting sporting competitions from competition manipulation (also known as match-fixing) and associated betting activity.
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Learn more here.
IMPROPER USE OF DRUGS AND MEDICINE POLICY
The Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy is designed to protect athletes from harm caused by the improper use of medicines, supplements and illegal drugs.
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Learn more here.
COMPLAINTS, DISPUTES AND DISCIPLINE POLICY
The Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy (CDDP) provides sport and its participants with a best practice complaint management process that can be run by either Sport Integrity Australia or the sport.
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Learn more here.
INTEGRITY ELEARNING
Sport Integrity Australia eLearning offers online courses relating to sport integrity, including doping, match-fixing, illicit drugs, and ethical decision-making. Specific anti-doping courses are also available for coaches, support persons, medical practitioners and parents.
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, child safety, inclusion and integrity issues in sport.
ESAFETY COMMISSIONER – ESAFETY SPORT HUB
Online abuse can significantly impact sport members and organisations. The eSafety Commissioner is Australia’s national independent regulator and educator for online safety. eSafety provides guidance on online safety issues including cyberbullying, adult cyber abuse, image-based abuse and illegal or restricted content. eSafety can help to get harmful online content removed if it meets the legal threshold for investigation.
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The eSafety Sport hub provides resources to help the sports community, including information on how to recognise online abuse and deal with online abuse in sport, as well as tailored advice for sport administrators, coaches and officials, and athletes and competitors.
STAY UP TO DATE
Keep up to date with all that’s happening in sport integrity by following SIA on Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube and LinkedIn and listen to On Side, the official podcast of SIA.
You can also download the Sport Integrity app, which is available for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.
"Football is like life—punctuated by seasons of triumph and defeat, with the goal of pushing forward and becoming better with each challenge."
— Jerry Kramer