IPACS launches pool of Governance Ambassadors and Governance Champions
Nominations are open from 9 October to 9 November 2026 for the first-ever pool of IPACS Governance Ambassadors and Governance Champions. Leaders and technical staff from organisations involved in IPACS are invited to put themselves up for consideration.
Since the launch of the IPACS Sport Governance Benchmark & Guidelines Handbook in October 2025, the IPACS Good Governance Task Force has been hard at work to ensure that the Handbook is a widely recognised resource for sports organisations wishing to improve their governance.
Today, the Task Force has taken another step forward in popularising the Handbook by launching a pool of dedicated IPACS Governance Ambassadors and IPACS Governance Champions. Governance Ambassadors will be responsible for leadership and advocacy. Recruited from among heads of sports organisations, governmental and other authorities, they will provide strategic guidance for Handbook dissemination activities and promote key messages. They will also make two personal commitments pertaining to good governance, such as an improvement in their organisation’s governance or the hosting of a high-profile event on the topic.
For their part, IPACS Governance Champions will be responsible for implementation and coordination. The role was designed with governance, compliance and integrity officers, and other technical staff in mind. Governance Champions will directly support the dissemination of the Handbook and other resources on governance, and deliver thematic webinars that delve into the Handbook’s content.
On the occasion of the launch, Sylvia Schenk, a lawyer and longstanding member of the IPACS Good Governance Task Force, said: “Good governance is based on rules and clear structures – but to really implement it sports organisations need individuals who stand for integrity, thus helping to translate principles into daily practice. Governance Ambassadors and Champions will play a crucial role in making the IPACS Sport Governance Benchmark & Guidelines Handbook a tool for transparency and accountability in sports organisations on all levels.”
Organisations involved in IPACS are invited to submit the names of Governance Ambassadors and Governance Champions for consideration using this nomination form by 9 November 2026. Up to one Governance Ambassador and one Governance Champion may be submitted per organisation, using separate forms. Depending on the structure and size of the organisation, the Governance Ambassador and Champion may be the same individual.
The IPACS Steering Committee will review the nominations and make appointments accordingly. Governance Ambassadors and Champions will serve on a voluntary basis, with their appointment remaining valid for as long as they hold the position or role by virtue of which they were appointed. This is limited to a maximum term of eight years in the case of Ambassadors. The IPACS Steering Committee may also withdraw an appointment at any time, for example as a result of inactivity or a failure to act with integrity.
The full Terms of Reference for Governance Ambassadors and Governance Champions can be found here. All questions regarding the opening of nominations should be directed to the IPACS Support Office at contact@ipacs.sport.