ICAC and Home Affairs Bureau jointly promote best practices for National Sports Associations
2011-12-16
The ICAC has produced a set of best practice guidelines to assist National Sports Associations (NSAs) to enhance governance and transparency for the long-term development of the local sports sector.
Launching the Best Practice Reference for NSAs at a seminar today (Friday), ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming said in view of the substantial amount of public money and public interest involved, the community expected NSAs to operate with a high degree of integrity, accountability and transparency.
“In consultation with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) of Hong Kong, China, and various sports associations, the Commission has recommended practical measures for sports bodies to enha nce governance, step up integrity management and devise a fair system to select athletes to represent Hong Kong in international competitions,” said Dr Tong.
Dr Tong said the ICAC’s Corruption Prevention Department would join hands with LCSD to approach all NSAs to offer tailor-made corruption prevention services and assist them in adopting preventive measures.
Also officiating at today’s seminar, Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-shing said in his welcoming remarks that the ICAC’s initiative received the government’s full support as the recommendations would lay down principles for good governance which formed the solid foundation for Hong Kong’s long-term sports development.
Mr Tsang noted that Hong Kong’s sports sector had seen rapid development in recent years, with more local athletes participating in international competitions and achieving remarkable results.
“To facilitate training for athletes and promote sporting activities in the community, government support and subventions to NSAs have greatly enhanced.
“Not only the hard working athletes but also the general public has a high expectation for NSAs to make proper use of their resources,” Mr Tsang said.
Among over 70 members associations under SF&OC, 58 are NSAs receiving direct subventions totalling over $230 million from the government in the current fiscal year.
To uphold integrity management, the guidebook recommends NSAs to formulate a mechanism for board and functional committee members, staff and associated personnel involved in decision making to declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest.
The ICAC also advises NSAs to enhance their operational transparency by making public information, such as the governance structure, mechanism for the election of board members, major financial information, athlete selection policy and mechanism.
As the public expects a fair and impartial system to choose the most appropriate athletes with the best winning potential to represent Hong Kong to compete in international competitions, NSAs are advised to formulate a set of criteria and disseminate such criteria in sufficient details, while an appeal mechanism should also be in place. Such information should be publicized among all stakeholders.
Over 100 participants from more than 50 NSAs today attended the seminar entitled “Towards Excellence in Sports Professional Development”, jointly organised by the ICAC and LCSD.
President of SF&OC, Mr Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, and Director of LCSD, Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, also joined the presentation ceremony prior to the seminar.
Copies of the Best Practice Reference will be distributed to all NSAs. Online version is also available for downloading on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).
Launching the Best Practice Reference for NSAs at a seminar today (Friday), ICAC Commissioner Dr Timothy Tong Hin-ming said in view of the substantial amount of public money and public interest involved, the community expected NSAs to operate with a high degree of integrity, accountability and transparency.
“In consultation with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD), the Sports Federation and Olympic Committee (SF&OC) of Hong Kong, China, and various sports associations, the Commission has recommended practical measures for sports bodies to enha nce governance, step up integrity management and devise a fair system to select athletes to represent Hong Kong in international competitions,” said Dr Tong.
Dr Tong said the ICAC’s Corruption Prevention Department would join hands with LCSD to approach all NSAs to offer tailor-made corruption prevention services and assist them in adopting preventive measures.
Also officiating at today’s seminar, Secretary for Home Affairs, Mr Tsang Tak-shing said in his welcoming remarks that the ICAC’s initiative received the government’s full support as the recommendations would lay down principles for good governance which formed the solid foundation for Hong Kong’s long-term sports development.
Mr Tsang noted that Hong Kong’s sports sector had seen rapid development in recent years, with more local athletes participating in international competitions and achieving remarkable results.
“To facilitate training for athletes and promote sporting activities in the community, government support and subventions to NSAs have greatly enhanced.
“Not only the hard working athletes but also the general public has a high expectation for NSAs to make proper use of their resources,” Mr Tsang said.
Among over 70 members associations under SF&OC, 58 are NSAs receiving direct subventions totalling over $230 million from the government in the current fiscal year.
To uphold integrity management, the guidebook recommends NSAs to formulate a mechanism for board and functional committee members, staff and associated personnel involved in decision making to declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest.
The ICAC also advises NSAs to enhance their operational transparency by making public information, such as the governance structure, mechanism for the election of board members, major financial information, athlete selection policy and mechanism.
As the public expects a fair and impartial system to choose the most appropriate athletes with the best winning potential to represent Hong Kong to compete in international competitions, NSAs are advised to formulate a set of criteria and disseminate such criteria in sufficient details, while an appeal mechanism should also be in place. Such information should be publicized among all stakeholders.
Over 100 participants from more than 50 NSAs today attended the seminar entitled “Towards Excellence in Sports Professional Development”, jointly organised by the ICAC and LCSD.
President of SF&OC, Mr Timothy Fok Tsun-ting, and Director of LCSD, Mrs Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee, also joined the presentation ceremony prior to the seminar.
Copies of the Best Practice Reference will be distributed to all NSAs. Online version is also available for downloading on ICAC’s corporate website ( www.icac.org.hk ).