INTEGRITY – PROTECTING VOLLEYBALL TOGETHER
Sport should be a safe and fair place for all participants. At VA, 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.
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. 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. All 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. We work closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), the national coordination agency for sport integrity threats. For more information visit www.sportintegrity.gov.au
What is the National Integrity Framework?
We take sport integrity seriously and in July 2022, VA 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
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.
Watch the video here.
OTHER INTEGRITY POLICIES
In addition to the National Integrity Framework policies, VA has the following integrity policies:
1. Code of Conduct Policy
2. Conduct and Disciplinary Policy
3. Social Media Policy
4. Personal Grievances Policy
5. Reviews and Appeals Policy
Policy Information
Anti-doping
Anti-doping rules apply to all participants of our sport from elite down to grassroots. All members must be aware of, and have a basic understanding of, their obligations in regard to anti-doping. The Sport Integrity Australia website has a range of information and resources to assist, including:
• information about supplements
• applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption
• submitting Whereabouts information
• information about athlete testing
• Clean Sport is Your Responsibility. Information on how to download the Sport Integrity Australia app
• There are 11 Anti-Doping Rule Violations. Find out more in this informative factsheet
VA has adopted the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy as it’s Anti-Doping Policy.
Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine
• Medical practitioners working in our sport are accredited and qualified to fulfil their duties • Medicines are used in appropriate ways • Supplements provided to athletes are batch-tested in line with anti-doping guidelines • Illegal drug use is prohibited in our sport
Competition Manipulation and Sports Wagering
Manipulating sports competitions, commonly known as ‘match-fixing’ is when someone alters a sporting competition to remove the unpredictable nature of the competition to obtain an undue advantage, or benefit.
People are motivated to manipulate competitions for a variety of reasons such as to get a better draw in a round-robin tournament (often referred to as tanking) or to avoid relegation to a lower competition. Another reason people manipulate competitions is to profit through betting markets by underperforming intentionally.
In Australia, the manipulation of sporting competitions can also result in a criminal conviction and up to ten years in jail. Participants of a sport involved in manipulating competitions will also likely face a long ban from sport. More information can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website.
Safeguarding
Participation in sport should be safe for all. We are committed to ensuring that people in sport, including children, are treated with respect dignity and are protected from bullying, discrimination, harassment or abuse.
The Safeguarding Children and Young People, and the Member Protection Policies highlight the important legal and governance responsibilities in relation to child safety, and the expectations for the conduct of all participants in Volleyball.
Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility.
Understand the reporting requirements for breaches of VA’s Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy.
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For more information on the Do’s and Don’ts of Child Safeguarding check out the Child Safe Practices booklet
For more information on Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy check out the Child Safeguarding Fact Sheet.
For more information on Member Protection check out the Member Protection Fact Sheet.
Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy
Our Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy sets out the process for resolving complaints arising from a breach of an eligible policy.
Complaints relating to the Safeguarding of Children and Young People and Discrimination on the basis of a Protected Characteristic (race or nationality, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation and religion) will be managed independently by Sport Integrity Australia.
Complaints relating to all other matter should be reported to Volleyball Australia using the complaint form.
For more information on the Complaints, Disputes and Disciplines Policy check out the Complaints, Disputes and Disciplines Fact Sheet.
Code of Conduct
Personal Grievances Policy


