Code of Ethics to be updated in line with good governance principles
Statute amendments proposed to allign with IOC guidelines
Audited accounts show sound balance sheet
Following International Hockey Federation (FIH) Executive Board meetings in Lausanne, Switzerland last week, several key decisions were made including moves to strengthen its values of integrity, equity and transparency.
This included the approval to expand the current FIH Code of Ethics to strengthen the general ethical values of the organisation. The new code will address specific areas of risk and incorporate an efficient enforcement procedure.
FIH will also be asking each Continental Federation and National Association to adopt a continental/national-level code of ethics at least as stringent as the FIH Code of Ethics.
In addition to general ethical principles, the updated Code will strengthen measures relating specifically to loyalty (avoiding conflicts of interest); integrity (bribery) and match-related integrity (corruption, betting and misuse of inside information) to provide all those individuals who assist the FIH in its role as international governing body with a clear understanding and appreciation of acceptable conduct.
FIH Statute amendments were also proposed, many of which will bring them in line with International Olympic Committee (IOC) recommendations, guidelines and policies as well as aligning with the updated FIH Code of Ethics.
Such amendments, which will be proposed for approval at the FIH Congress in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in November 2016, have been developed to strengthen governance across the sport.
Ahead of Congress, the Elections Oversight Panel (EOP) set forth the guiding principles of the nominations and elections processes. They also presented the Board with the Nominations and Elections Procedures Manual to be put into effect with the call for nominations later this year.
This is a further step to ensure that FIH nominations and elections processes are carried out in a fair and transparent manner consistent with the FIH Statutes and General Regulations.
Updates were also provided to the Executive Board on the work of the FIH Hockey Academy, ‘State of the Game’ audit and FIH Targeted Assistance Programmes as well as on the progress of a short-sided game under development, which has evolved from Hockey5s.
The FIH’s audited accounts for 2015 were presented showing a sound balance sheet, which included an operational profit of CHF 452,000. This provided evidence that FIH was in a strong financial position going into 2016, with the published accounts soon to be made available on FIH.ch.
These updates follow last week’s announcement that the FIH Athletes’ Committee will be restructured. This will see two Olympians – South Africa’s Marsha Cox and England and Great Britain’s Annie Panter, replace fellow Olympian Michael Green, as they take over as joint Chairs from the FIH Congress in November, for a period of two years.
The Executive Board were pleased to see the results that the FIH Hockey Revolution is already delivering, 18 months after it was launched in 2014. Those attending the FIH Congress in Dubai later this year will receive a comprehensive update on this 10-year strategy aimed at making hockey a global game that inspires the next generation.
Additionally, details of a new portfolio of international events from 2019 onwards will be revealed, along with updates on a new short form version of the game currently being developed.
For more information about the Hockey Revolution, click here.
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