A Report on the Power and Authority of Sport Governance Bodies

This report delves into the power and authority of sports governance bodies, specifically focusing on Cricket Australia and Football Federation Australia, along with FIFA's international role. The analysis examines the regulations implemented by these bodies to manage sports like cricket and football in Australia, covering areas such as anti-racism codes, anti-corruption measures, and diversity initiatives. The report explores the advantages and disadvantages of the power granted to these organizations, highlighting their efforts to promote fairness, integrity, and development within the sports while also addressing criticisms related to potential overreach and corruption. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of a balanced approach to governance, ensuring both effective regulation and accountability to prevent negative impacts on the game and its participants. References from various authors and journals support the arguments presented.

Are Sport Governance Bodies Given Too Much Power?

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7

INTRODUCTION
The term governing body means a group of individuals that direct the affairs and policies
of an institution in partnership with managers of the organization. The Essay is based on the
sports of football and cricket in Australia. The Essay will outline whether the governing bodies
should be given so much power to regulate the sports in Australia.
MAIN BODY
Are Sport Governance Bodies Given Too much power ?
Cricket Australia is the national level governing body that regulates the game of Cricket
in Australia. The purpose of the body is to inspire and unite the communities through the game
of cricket. It is a non-profit firm limited by guarantee. It operates all national representatives of
the Australia including the Australia women's cricket team, Australian cricket team and youth
sides as well. The first central administrative body in Australia for game of cricket was
established in year 1982. The council was disbanded seven years later and Australian board of
control for International cricket was established in year 1905. Then in year 2003, Australian
Cricket Board has changed its name to Cricket Australia.
As per the view of Brukner and Gara (2017) Cricket Australia is the governing body that
regulates the sports of Cricket in Australia. The body plays an important role in encouraging
diversity, integration of cultures etc. in the country. Further, the regulatory body also helps to
improve diversity in the game. The members of Cricket Australia also acts to strengthen the zero
balance policy to reduce the impact of racist abuse, heavy fines has been imposed by the
government for removal of racist behaviour and the government has also made efforts to exclude
any perpetrators from the ground of game. Further, the body has adopted Anti-corruption code in
respect of different sporting imperatives. It has powers to restrict corrupt practices related with
betting that undermines the standard of integrity of the cricket game. Moreover, the body has
developed Anti Racism Code as an effort to maintain the integrity, image and popularity of the
cricket. All the players are required to comply with all the rules related with Anti Racism Code.
According to the author Sherry and Taylor (2019) the report into the assertions of racist
behaviour by Solicitor general of India found that racial comments are made. To resolve this
issue, the governing body of Cricket that is Cricket Australia has developed and implemented the
process to deal with the matter in appropriate manner. Further, the body has also made
conditions of entry into the matches so that sponsors will not involve in any conduct which

humiliates, threatens, vilifies, insults, disparages and intimidates other individuals on the basis of
religion, national or ethnic origin, race, colour and descent etc. Further, sponsors will be refused
to enter the grounds in case they breach the rules and guidelines. They are also refused to enter
into any match played under protection of Cricket Australia and legal action will be taken against
them in relation with such matters. Therefore, it has been said that it is appropriate that sports
governing bodies should intervene in limited circumstances. Kampmark (2017) Moreover,
Cricket Australia has established a committee known as National Indigenous Cricket Advisory
Committee. It helps a lot to promote the growth of cricket in indigenous communities. Ryan
(2017) critics that, the committee has developed a plan known as Two Cultures : Australian's
New Cricket Tradition' that provides various barriers to participation of players. The major
barrier to participation in cricket for Torres Strait Islander and Aboriginal people are diversity in
geographical location, exclusiveness of current structure of game, lack of role models, lack of
knowledge about game etc.
Bruinewoud and Bossart (2016) pointed out that, the programme of Cricket Australia has
provided various benefits such as working together for the advantage of both the cultures to
overcome different barriers. Other initiatives of regulatory body involves employment of
Indigenous Cricket Development Officers, umpiring courses around different parts of the country
etc. Another advantage of regulations of Cricket Australia is that it helps to encourage diversity
in the sport. The body has become a partner of the government of Australia to support and
promote the diversity and multicultural society in the country. Harmony Day is also considered
as an opportunity for the game of cricket to reinforce its zero tolerance regarding the type of
behaviour that goes in against to the values of making the sport of cricket a united one.
According to the author Wagner (2016) Football Federation Australia is the body who is
responsible for governing the sport of football within Australia. It was founded in year 1911 in
Sydney. The chairman of FFA is Chris Nikou. The authority has developed various types of rules
and regulations to govern the sport of football. These regulations help to maintain appropriate
standards of behaviour of the players in consistent way in Australia. Football Federation
Australia plays an important role in governance of the sport and it also ensures that high
standards of conduct should be maintained in the game and the body also oversees the growth
and development of the sport.

As per the view of Canan, da Silva and Starepravo (2018) It is also responsible to
improve, regulate and control the game throughout the country for promoting fairness,
humanitarian, cultural values and programmes. Further, the intervention of the body in football
helps to manage international games and national A-league football competition. Moreover, it
has developed new regulations which is the result of in depth consultation and representatives
from club and district levels. This helps to offer a consistent framework to control and govern the
game by promoting protection and respect for coaches, players and referees.
According to Federation International de Football Association Stell and Salisbury (2015)
is the non-profit organization that acts as an international body that governs football, e football
and beach soccer. It was founded in year 1904. Headquarter is located in Switzerland. There are
211 national associations who are members of FIFA. It also has responsibility to maintain top
guidelines and standards in Football, it is having power to administer the world football
associations. Further, it is the charge of promoting the tournaments.
The intervention of FIFA in the sports plays an important role in making efforts so that
everyone can access the game of football, promotes integrity and transparency in the game. The
body has different objectives in organizational statues that also involve growth of football at
international level. Further, the interference of FIFA in sports helps to promote major
international tournaments at international level such as World Cup.
As per the view of the governance of International Football Association Board of football
is also responsible for implementing the rules and regulations across all the competitions of
FIFA. Bruinewoud and Bossart (2016) critics that, according to various journalists the leadership
of FIFA is also linked with bribery, corruption and vote rigging to the election for the president
of FIFA. Therefore, it can be said that governing bodies should not be provided so much power
because it can also result into negative effect on the game, participants and country as well.
Moreover, the regulations of the governing body also helps to promote accountability and
transparency in the sports that are performed at international level. It deals with strategies at
global level and its political, social and economic status. It has played an important role amongst
sporting federations at international level in terms of developing rules and regulations in
cooperation with accounting and legal specialists.
According to the author Ryan (2017) FIFA is having the responsibility to look whole
football community and also help to track the issues related with football such as bribery, illegal

betting and other types of prohibited activities. Under the code of ethics, the disciplinary
sanctions can be implemented on players agents, offending officials and match agents etc. The
regulatory framework of the body focuses to ensure that all the rules of conduct, statutory rules
and internal guidelines are being followed by all the players. Further, it has issued code of
conduct and code of ethics for all the people that are involved in game at international level. The
code includes the standards for ethical and legal behaviour that must be considered by all the
people at all the times. Moreover, another major role of FIFA is in promoting anti-discrimination
and diversity in game. FIFA has featured two anti discrimination firstly in FIFA tournament and
another in FIFA Confederations Cup 2017. The government has also concluded a successful
implementation of anti-discrimination monitoring system. This has implemented in collaboration
with Fare network. As per Article 17 of regulations of FIFA, each member is required to manage
their affairs in independent manner and there should be no influence from third parties. Countries
that have fallen foul of non-compliance of rules of FIFA will be suspended or banned for various
time period like months, years etc. The impact of ban by FIFA is far-reaching. Countries that are
banned by regulatory body are unable to participate in tournaments organized by FIFA whether it
is international club competition, national team matches etc. Further, the body has power to
control association football across the globe in all the aspects. This mandate is provided to the
associations at national level to control association football at national level. This helps to
control, manage and promoting the development of game and also the organization of game in
general. The associations have power to perform it on their own in autonomous way without the
interference from outside government or any other form of parties.
Uddin and et.al (2019) critics that, it is essential to see that whether the improvement in
governance principles have created impact on the performance and practices of sports
organizations. It has been analysed that, government bodies should not be given so much power
because there are various national and international governing bodies for sports that have been
beset with challenges to their legitimacy and corruption scandals. There are various examples
that shows inadequate behaviour of directors and the continued use of inequitable governance
structures. The failures to implement adequate balances and checks over decisions by boards and
failure to govern has lead to the requirement of improved governance for sport organizations
from both independent and government agencies. As per the view of Wagner (2016) one of the
response of the sport organizations, government, independent agencies is that they has developed

various governance guidelines and structures to counter the failure in governance such as
transparency, accountability, democracy, equality, professionalization, supervisory mechanism,
social responsibility, elected presidents, board skills, code of ethics, separation of CEO roles and
board chair etc. One of the case to pit football against the politics at international level although
it did not include FIFA when Nigeria has been withdrawn from African Nations Cup which was
held in South Africa. Nigeria was then banned for period of two years by the Confederation of
African Football (CAF). Further, Nigerian Football Federation was also abeyant in year 2014
after the court has given order the minister of sports to elect a civil servant to run the federation.
This was again considered as a poor performance at the World Cup.
CONCLUSION
The above Report has outlined that Cricket Australia is the regulatory body also helps to
improve diversity in the game. The members of Cricket Australia has acted to strengthen the zero
balance policy to reduce the impact of racist abuse, heavy fines has been imposed by the
government for removal of racist behaviour and the government has also made efforts to exclude
any perpetrators from the ground of game. Further, it has been concluded that FFA is the
authority that has developed various types of rules and regulations to govern the sport of football.
REFERENCES
Books and Journals -
Bruinewoud, A.G. and Bossart, G., 2016. 6 Origins, practice and regulation of third-party
ownership in South America. In Global Corruption Report: Sport (pp. 151-156). Routledge.
Brukner, P. and Gara, T., 2017. Cricket-related fatalities in Australia. Journal of Science and
Medicine in Sport. 20. p.40.
Canan, F., da Silva, A.F.Z. and Starepravo, F.A., 2018. Political Relation among the State and
International Sports Organizations: The 2014 FIFA World Cup Event in Brazil. Physical
Culture and Sport. Studies and Research. 78(1). pp.13-22.
Kampmark, B., 2017. Conflicting traditions: the FIFA World Cup, Australia and football
identities. Sport in Society. 20(5-6). pp.612-626.
Ryan, G., 2017. Watching cricket with a companion: The Oxford companion to Australian
cricket at Twenty. Sporting Traditions. 34(1). p.39.
Sherry, E. and Taylor, C., 2019. Professional women’s sport in Australia. Routledge Handbook
of the Business of Women's Sport.
Stell, M. and Salisbury, C., 2015. ‘It’s Bigger than the Olympics’: changing Australia through
football and the 1974 FIFA World Cup. Soccer & Society, 16(2-3), pp.245-258.
Uddin, M.A., and et.al, 2019. CRICRATE: A Cricket Match Conduction and Player Evaluation
Framework. In Emerging Technologies in Data Mining and Information Security (pp. 491-

500). Springer, Singapore.
Wagner, C., 2016. Cricket and Empire: the 1932-33 bodyline tour of Australia.