“Conflicts of interest” the focus of latest IOC good governance workshop
The latest in a series of good governance workshops, aimed at empowering International Federation (IF) representatives to implement governance reforms within their internal structures, took place on 6 October 2025 and addressed the complex topic of conflicts of interest.
A conflict of interest arises when the opinions or decisions of a person, acting alone or within an organisation, are influenced, could be influenced, or appear to be influenced by their personal interests, whether financial, relational or otherwise. In simpler terms, a conflict of interest occurs when someone cannot make a fair decision because they themselves will be affected by the outcome.
The 25 participants – all from IOC-recognised sports organisations - were educated on how to identify conflicts of interest and what to include in conflict-of-interest declarations. Subsequent discussions concentrated on the difference between actual, potential and perceived conflicts of interest. The attendees were also provided with a risk methodology and learnt how to manage and keep track of conflicts of interest.
During the highly interactive workshop, participants discussed specific scenarios and had to identify if a conflict of interest was actual, potential or perceived. Divided into different groups, they were also given the task of developing a related education programme for both employees of a sports organisation and its elected officials.
Organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), one of the IPACS founding partners, this initiative builds on the success of similar webinars organised last year, but takes a more practice-oriented approach. The concept enables small-group interactions, with participants also discussing specific challenges they are facing in the field of governance.
IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Giuseppe Deleonardis, explained:
The subject of conflicts of interest is particularly relevant to sports organisations, where decision-makers are often volunteers. Educating our stakeholders about the topic and empowering them to manage conflicts of interest properly is absolutely essential. It protects organisational reputation, builds trust and ensures decisions are made in the best interests of the organisation rather than for personal gain.
The next workshop of the series is scheduled for December, and will focus on promoting gender equality and diversity in and through sport.