The basic idea of ethics in sport is to protect the health and well-being of athletes and the credibility of sport, as expected by the population. The Charter of Ethics operated by Swiss Olympic and the Federal Office of Sport (FOSPO) has, until now, formed the basis for this and will now be substantiated and implemented with the aid of the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport in Switzerland.
Olympic Values as a Basis
Friendship, respect and excellence: Olympic values shape sport across the globe and also play an important role in everyday life. The Charter of Ethics builds on these values and defines the position on ethics in Swiss sport according to nine principles. The Charter of Ethics must be incorporated into the statutes of each Swiss Olympic member federation and must be actively put into practice by all participants.
Unethical Incidents as a Trigger for Development
The last few years has seen allegations, again and again, made about unethical training methods in Swiss sport. Previously, the responsibility fell to the sports federations themselves to identify any misconduct and abuses within their own organization and to impose sanctions, if necessary. The publication of research into the misconduct and abuses in Swiss sport has caused consternation and the political scene has acted accordingly. In November 2020, the Council of States, the National Council, Swiss Olympic and the Federal Office of Sport (OFSPO) advised on the issue and finally demanded the creation of an independent advice center or reporting service for Swiss sport. To detect and eradicate any ethics violations and abuses as quickly as possible, Swiss sport has now implemented an independent and secure advice center in the form of Swiss Sport Integrity.
From the Charter of Ethics to the Statutes on Ethics
To ensure that the valid principles of the Charter of Ethics for Swiss sport can be implemented, the Statutes on Ethics in Swiss Sport were adopted by the 25th Sports Parliament. These Statutes on Ethics, together with the relevant organizational and procedural regulations, form a system for reporting and investing violations of specific codes of practice as well as the detection of abuse in Swiss sport and imposing any sanctions as necessary.
