IOC workshop promotes IPACS guidance on reporting mechanisms and investigations

When attendees at the 8^th IPACS Annual General Conference in 2025 were asked what topics IPACS should prioritise in its capacity-building activities the following year, the subject of reporting and investigations was among the most popular.  

Moreover, the 2025 Governance Review of the International Federation Members of the Association of IOC-Recognised International Sports Federations (ARISF) highlighted that confidential reporting mechanisms with protections for whistleblowers was the worst performing indicator.  

To respond to this issue, the IOC Good Governance Workshop series turned its attention to these two topics for the second workshop of the year on 29 June. Like the previous workshops, this meeting shared guidance from the IPACS Sport Governance Benchmark and its Handbook version, and discussed practical examples using fictional scenarios.  

Twenty-five participants from 18 federations, including ARISF member federations and other sports organisations, attended and actively engaged in the workshop discussions. They received an update from the IOC concerning the support available to federations through the IPACS tools, and about the IOC’s key reporting mechanisms, such as the IOC Integrity Hotline. 

Participants were then split into groups to discuss how they would respond to theoretical conundrums, including a senior official’s attempts to reveal the identity of the whistleblower behind a report, athlete complaints about a lack of clarity on where they can report wrongdoing, and a report alleging competition manipulation.  

Guest speaker Dieter Braekeveld, Intelligence and Investigations Manager at the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC), said after the conclusion of the workshop: “A safe reporting mechanism is a key good governance measure for sports organisations. This workshop provided an excellent opportunity for International Federations to exchange experiences, discuss practical challenges, and share best practices to support the implementation of reporting structures and processes.” 

As with every edition of the IOC Good Governance Workshop series, participants were asked to provide their feedback on their experience. This second edition builds on the positive feedback received on the workshop on election procedures that took place earlier in the year, which highlighted the participants’ appreciation for scenarios, securing their presence in the workshop programme.