Commonwealth Sports Ministers to promote integrity in sport

As the sporting world grapples with illegal betting and match fixing, sports ministers of the 53 Commonwealth countries are to meet in Glasgow to review action on these ills and to promote integrity in sport.

The ministers, who will gather on July 21, two days before the opening of the 20th Commonwealth Games in the Scottish city, will also look at ways of promoting development and peace through sport.

The 7th Commonwealth Sports Ministers Meeting is an opportunity for ministers and senior officials to bolster policy and investment in the area of sport.

The ministers will review national action plans and best practices in the field of sport for development and peace, and international action on integrity in sport, including governance and transparency, the safeguarding of participants, and prevention of match fixing.

Creation of legacy opportunities from major sporting events will also be on the agenda.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma noted: “There are great benefits from investing in sport and physical education. Sport can improve health and well-being, reducing the prevalence of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. It can also be a vehicle for strengthening communities and support peace-building in post-conflict environments.

“Sport is an important tool for advancing education, gender equality and youth empowerment, and can ensure social inclusion for minority and marginalised groups, such as people with disabilities. The Commonwealth places emphasis on the place of sports policy as part of the international development agenda.”

He added: “This is also an important time to take stock of international and Commonwealth efforts to build consensus and collaboration in improving governance and transparency, safeguarding participants, and curbing illegal betting and match-fixing in sport. Our goal is for the outcomes of our discussions to set priorities for governments and sports bodies across the globe.”

Policy tools and guidebooks published by the Commonwealth Secretariat will be presented at the Meeting, including The Commonwealth Guide to Advancing Development through Sport.

Barbados, Rwanda and Sri Lanka are among those countries already using these guidelines to develop national action plans.

The ministers will also consider recommendations while in Glasgow from the Commonwealth Advisory Body on Sport (CABOS), a 14-member group of sport experts from across the Commonwealth, which is headed by Louise Martin, Chair of Sport Scotland.

In addition, the ministers will hear from the Commonwealth Youth Sport for Development and Peace working group (CYSDP).

The working group comprises young practitioners from across the Commonwealth who focus on awareness and advocacy in the field.