In late 2025, SIA reviewed the Framework policies in consultation with the sporting sector to ensure they remain fit for purpose. The updated policies were introduced in July 2026 and sports have until 30 April 2027 to adopt them. It’s important to check your sport's national website for their current policies.
What is the National Integrity Framework?
The National Integrity Framework (the Framework) is a set of policies sports can adopt to help manage integrity threats. The policies aim to prevent harm, protect participants and create safe, fair and inclusive sporting environments.
The Framework applies to all levels of sport – from community clubs to national level – by providing clear and consistent rules around acceptable behaviour. It also outlines reporting pathways for issues such as child safeguarding, participant protection, competition manipulation and complaints handling.
Framework policies explained
The Framework consists of 5 policies that all work together to build safe and fair sporting environments.
Understanding your National Integrity Framework
Learn more about the policies, how they work together what it means for you.
Safeguarding Children and Young People Policy
Protects children and young people by setting clear rules, behavioural standards and reporting obligations.
Participant Protection Policy
Promotes safe participation by protecting everyone from discrimination, bullying, harassment and abuse.
Competition Manipulation and Sports Betting Policy
Maintains trust in fair competition by preventing match fixing, improper use of inside information and betting and non-betting related misconduct.
Improper Use of Drugs and Medicine Policy
Sets out mandatory compliance requirements to support the safe use of medicines and supplements in sport.
Complaints, Disputes and Discipline Policy
Provides a consistent process for managing complaints and ensuring accountability when the wrong things occur.
The Framework journey
Since launching in 2021:
National Sporting Organisations (NSOs) have adopted the Framework.
NSOs are involved in the National Integrity Manager network.
dedicated integrity experts embedded in NSOs to help sports action the Framework.
Adoption process
- Sports are invited to adopt the Framework or develop integrity policies that meet Framework standards.
- Sports review and provide feedback on draft policies.
- SIA supports sports to draft and finalise policies.
- Framework policies are presented to National Boards for adoption and commencement.
- New policies published on websites and communicated to members.
- Sports develop Education Plans to provide required and recommended integrity and anti-doping education to members.
- Sports update websites to include key integrity and anti-doping information, including where to report an integrity issue and education requirements.
- Policies are promoted to members and processes strengthened to bind members.
- Next steps:
- Sports are invited to apply for grants to support integrity capability, including the Safeguarding in Sport Continuous Improvement Program.
- Sports start putting policies into practice.
- SIA helps in ongoing policy implementation.
2025-26 Review
To ensure the Framework remains fit for purpose and aligned to current best practice, it is reviewed by SIA and the sector periodically. The recent 2025-26 review process was undertaken in close consultation with National Sporting Organisations, National Sporting Organisations for People with Disability, and other key stakeholders.
The updated policies were introduced to sport in July 2026, and sports have until 30 April 2027 to adopt them.
Read more about the high-level changes to the policies
What it means to sign up to the Framework
By signing up to the Framework, a sport has taken an important step in creating safe and fair environments that benefit both the sport and its participants.
This includes:
- protecting participants
- keeping sport safe and fair
- transparent and consistent rules for all levels of sport, from community clubs through to national level
- dealing with integrity threats and managing complaints
- holding people who do the wrong thing accountable.
Complaints handling
Signing up to the Framework also means the sport can access our independent complaints handling process for matters about:
- safeguarding children and young people
- discrimination based on protected characteristics, including disability.
Education and prevention
Under the Framework, sports provide integrity education to participants - including mandatory education for those who do the wrong thing.
Check the full list of sporting organisations signed up to the National Integrity Framework.
How the Framework works for you
If your sport has signed up to the Framework, then the rules and protections outlined in each policy apply to you no matter what level of sport you’re involved in.
You can learn more about the policies on your sport’s national website.
How we support other sports
We help sports that are not signed up to the Framework to deal with integrity matters by providing other policy offerings. These are designed to support all organisations to develop their own integrity policies and standards in line with best practice.
