Failure on ethics and sustainability in global sport institutions. | Albert Vilariño Alonso | LinkedIn

2/2/16 14:19Failure on ethics and sustainability in global sport institutions. | Albert Vilariño Alonso | LinkedIn
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Failure on ethics and sustainability in global sport
institutions.
Feb 2, 2016 3 views 0 Likes 0 Comments
Note: This article was first published in spanish and can be found here.
The highest levels of the sport, who should be an example for those who
depend on them, fail miserably in ethics and sustainability.
At Compromiso Empresarial we have previously talked about CSR and sport,
both in a more generic way in the article "Sports and CSR: the perfect play" and
focusing on soccer in "Do soccer clubs commit with society?". In both articles
talking about CSR, social action, sponsorships, etc. by sport clubs, companies and
individual athletes.
Sport in general and the Olympics in particular are transmitters of
different values to society such as: effort, commitment, respect,
companionship, social integration and participation, respect for fundamental
Albert Vilariño Alonso
Specialist in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR),
Reputation and Corporate Communication,
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Failure on ethics and
sustainability in global sport
institutions.
Albert Vilariño Alonso
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ethical principles, and in particular in education, generating a climate in
classrooms and schools conducive to forms of personal and social enrichment.
In this article we will specifically focus on one of those values, respect for
fundamental ethical principles, and we will review compliance in recent
times. We will not do it from the perspective of clubs, companies or sportsmen
but we will analyze on ethics and social responsibility two high sports
institutions and the consequences of their decisions and actions (or inactions)
have in promoting events and competitions. Specifically we will treat the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Federation
of Football Association (FIFA).
The IOC is defined in its web as the "supreme authority of the Olympic Movement
that acts as a catalyst for collaboration between all parties of the Olympic family."
It is therefore ultimately responsible for enforcing all rules stated in the Olympic
Charter.
Making a review of the most recent scandals in the IOC we find:
- In 1991, IOC Vice-President Robert Helmick resigned after abusing his
position by acting as advisor to companies and organizations related to the
Olympic Movement.
- In 1998, several IOC members were expelled for receiving favors and bribes of
various kinds to buy their votes for designating the Winter Olympics of 2002
being favorable to the candidacy of Salt Lake City.
- Although not subsequently demostrated, a Chinese former sports minister
reported that who ended up being after IOC president, Jacques Rogge,
"procured votes for his election as president in 2001 by doing work 'lobby' in
favor of the candidacy of Beijing" for the 2008 Olympic Games.
Although we can not consider them as scandals but very controversial decisions,
were elected as Olympic venues the candidates of Sochi 2014 (Winter Games) and
Rio 2016, in Russia and Brazil respectively. In the case of Russia, a country with
endemic corruption and where respect for human rights leaves much to be
desired and the Games whose sustainability was far from ideal for both the
organization and the performance of the sponsors. In the case of Brazil, we also
have a situation in a corrupt country with little commitment to sustainability and

serious doubts about whether the facilities will be ready for the date marked or
not.
Being a non-profit organization, the IOC has been criticized for the use of the
benefits that may result from the organization of the Games, for the
obligations that governments must meet if they want the Games in their
country, and for banning athletes to mention their private sponsors. Noting that
the IOC is a private, independent organization part of this would be
understandable as long as its works, activities and decisions were taken with
some objectivity, responsibility, ethics and within the law.
And for FIFA, the situation is even worse than the IOC. At present it is
submerged in a huge corruption scandal, fraud and money laundering
that was uncovered by prosecutors in New York after several years of research
following the payment of the TV rights and advertising of the America Cup, and
that has swept away several of its leaders although there is still much to
investigate let alone to work for the institution to regain some credibility. As a
result of the investigation they are also discovering several put-up matches.
Almost following the same path as the IOC, FIFA awarded the 2014 World Cup to
Brazil, which will be remembered as one of the most catastrophic in history in
the economic, social and human rights field.
And the coming World Cup does not seem that it will improve Brazil’s. Within the
entire FIFA scandal, the FBI investigates the designation of Russia 2018
and Qatar 2022 and there are even doubts that they will be celebrated. If held,
we can take as an example the Sochi Games as unsustainable and think that
Russia’s World Cup will not go far behind. As for Qatar, the aberration of its
celebration in a country with such a small population and with an extreme
climate, we should add the death of workers who are treated as slaves in the
construction of facilities with total disregard for their Human Rights. Countries
like England criticize Qatar 2022 for being an unnatural World Cup.
Following the above, can we consider that these institutions act on an
ethical and responsible manner?
Absolutely not. I think it is quite clear and there is no discussion. They act as if
they were an irresponsible organization or company, just as one of many that

unfortunately still exist. Their values are very far from those mentioned at the
beginning of the article. These entities do not reflect an image of what
sport should be, as they work as a machine to make money and amass power,
in which many people dispute its control at any cost.
And if the world's top establishments act in this way and are constantly in the
media for these bad practices and bad decisions, how there will not be cases
in other entities of lesser importance? It is certainly not a good example for
confederations, federations, clubs, teams, players, etc.
Perhaps the main problem with this is that the sport has become for quite a
long time in just another business, more greedy and with more benefits as
we leave behind the lower levels (the closest to the real meaning of sport and
values) and climb to the “summit”.
We also should ask what the sponsors of these sporting events have to
say about all this. All these big companies in their CSR and sustainability
policies should contemplate not to contribute to unethical behaviors, to be
responsible, sustainable, friendly to the environment and human rights, etc.
These organizations are indirectly guilty for the problem because without their
support these events could not be held. Simply they look the other way.
In short, both institutions require a deep change in the way they work and act if
they really want to regain credibility and reputation, which will cost them a lot.
While this change does not happen, the events will carry on the same path as
before. The question is do they really want to change?
Fortunately, while these scandals happen in many parts of the world, some kids
are playing soccer in a field without rest until the sun goes down, others run
through parks with their worn sneakers, others swim for hours, etc .. All of them
do that simply for pleasure, for companionship, for sharing, for their desire for
improvement, for that "Citius, Altius, Fortius".
That is the real spirit of sport and they are the ones who must enforce it in the
future above different interests.
Sports, Ethics, Sustainability

Failure on ethics and sustainability in global sport institutions. | Albert Vilariño Alonso | LinkedIn

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Failure on ethics and sustainability in global sport institutions. | Albert Vilariño Alonso | LinkedIn