Our case categorisation system is how we handle complaints of National Integrity Framework (NIF) breaches. The categories are Category 1 Blue (Low), Category 2 Amber (Medium) and Category 3 Red (High).
We created the Complaints Process to help keep sport safe and fair by handling reports of serious misconduct.
Although the process can lead to disciplinary action for poor behaviour, we don’t aim to punish. Instead, we often use education and other strategies to improve behaviour. This is especially when the issue isn’t high-risk because they’re often more effective and efficient.
We use the Case Categorisation System to assess complaints in a clear, consistent, and fair way. This system helps us decide how to manage each complaint and whether to apply penalties when we confirm misconduct.
Our goal is to make thoughtful, fair, and consistent decisions throughout the Complaints Process. If a complaint involves serious issues – like risk of harm, criminal behaviour, or other aggravating factors – we may treat it more seriously.
We also consider any other factors to make sure our response is fair and balanced.
Complaints handled
integrity matter cases closed
integrity matters evaluated
integrity matter cases managed through education
We also had:
- Fifteen integrity matter cases were resolved with the support of the sport or managed through other means
- Nineteen investigations finalised and closed, which included 24 substantiated breaches of integrity policies.
These stats are from the 2024–25 Annual Report.
Report a breach of the NIF
If your sport has adopted the NIF, we can help with safeguarding children & young people, and discrimination matters. Our service is free and independent.
Category 1 Blue (Low)
Category 1 (Blue) complaints and reports involve low-risk allegations of misconduct. We assess these matters as one-off incidents with no intent to cause harm. We usually address them by educating and reminding the person of their responsibilities.
Category 1 Complaints or Reports can include (but are not limited to):
Member Protection and Safeguarding Children and Young People
- Verbal abuse, low level swearing, derogatory or disrespectful comments.
- Aggressive tone, disrespectful comments, or a heated altercation, in the absence of malice, vilification or bullying or other prohibited behaviour
- Lewd jokes (where adults involve a child or young person, a higher category may result).
- Unnecessary or overly physical contact (not involving sexual misconduct) between athletes including pushing, roughhousing, or bumping into another.
- Non-compliance with the following Child Safe Practices, but only where no obvious aggravating circumstances or behavioural patterns of concern are present:
- exhibiting favouritism towards a child or young person
- photographing a child or young person without parent or guardian consent
- transport of a child or young person without parent or guardian consent
- providing gifts to a child or young person unless it is an official award
- inappropriate use of tone or language
- engaging in open discussions of a mature nature in the presence of children or young people
- social media contact with a child or young person (without any aggravating factors, for example repeated crossing of professional boundaries, use of profane or sexual language)
- accepting invitation to attend a private social function without an existing social, personal or family relationship
- unapproved one on one supervision of a child or young person
- failure to provide a positive training environment for a child or young person.
Category 2 Amber (Medium)
Category 2 (Amber) matters may involve the risk of moderate or reasonable harm, or repeated, more severe, or more complex Category 1 Complaints or Reports.
Amber matters may have the potential to meet a criminal threshold and may require referral to law enforcement or child protection agencies.
Category 2 Complaints or Reports can include (but are not limited to):
Member protection
- Bullying
- Discrimination
- Repeatedly mocking an athlete’s appearance or body shape
- Abuse of position of trust or power
- Harassing behaviours, including unwanted sexual interest
- Inappropriate jokes, including insensitive jokes (race, religion and culture, disability, gender, sex)
- Repeated or multiple incidents of harmful coaching techniques or training as punishment
- Physical threats or contact intended to cause hurt, such as shoving
Other
- Betting by members on their own sport
- Inappropriate use of, or supply of supplements
- Interfering with, or intimidating parties to a Complaint, evidence, or Sport Integrity Australia processes
- Failing to report criminal charges, convictions, or any other Prohibited Conduct under the sport organisation’s policies
- Multiple breaches or offences and previous sanctions
- Further breaches while on probation or while Provisional Action is applied
Category 3 Red (High)
Category 3 (Red) matters often clearly involve allegations of criminal behaviour or present immediate risk of harm. These matters may involve a higher degree of complicating factors. Red matters must be referred to relevant law enforcement as to not impede any potential criminal investigations.
Category 3 Complaints or Reports can include (but are not limited to):
Egregious and criminal conduct
- Child abuse
- Failing to report child abuse
- Sexual misconduct and abuse
- Use, possession or trafficking of illegal drugs
- Serious assaults including striking or punching
- Supplying alcohol or drugs to a child or young person
- Criminal charges or convictions that may pose a risk to sport
- Exposing the child or young person to age-inappropriate and harmful material, or behaviours
- Touching of genitals, breasts, buttocks by an adult or person in a position of power (one off tapping of the buttocks as a sign of encouragement, or unintentional contact when spotting an athlete may be more proportionately categorised as a Category 2, depending on the circumstances)
Improper use of drugs and medicine
Supplying medicines or over the counter medicines except where permitted by law and with the consent of a parent.
Match fixing and corruption
- Match, race or competition fixing
- Supplying inside information for the purposes of gambling.
Each of the categories include the related measures or sanctions which may accompany a confirmed breach. The Case Categorisation System document stipulates aggravating and mitigating circumstances to help in the complaints process.
Guidance for complaint management and sanctioning
