The Canadian Centre For Ethics in Sport is set to rebrand as Sport Integrity Canada in January to better align with its expanded role, according to the organization’s board chair. Previously known for overseeing domestic doping issues and monitoring sports betting manipulation, the CCES has now taken on the responsibility of ensuring safe sport practices following a directive from former federal sports minister Carla Qualtrough earlier this year.
Starting April 1, the center assumed control over the management and investigation of complaints regarding abuse and maltreatment in sports, as well as the maintenance of a public registry of individuals banned from sports or facing provisional sanctions. These duties were transferred from the now-defunct Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC).
In a statement released on Tuesday, Jocelyn Downie, the chair of the center’s board, highlighted the need to reassess their strategic plan and organizational structure to meet the demands of their enhanced mandate as Canada’s leading authority on sports integrity. The name change to Sport Integrity Canada signifies the organization’s transformation into an independent sport integrity agency in recent years.
Although the CCES operates within certain jurisdictional boundaries, limited to sports organizations that receive federal funding, there are discussions about potentially extending its oversight to include provincial, territorial, university, and club sports. However, such an expansion would require additional financial support.
One of the key reasons for the transition from OSIC to CCES was to enhance the independence of the process, as Qualtrough emphasized. Despite receiving government funding, the CCES maintains autonomy in selecting its board members, ensuring a degree of independence. Nevertheless, the organization is not subject to the Access to Information Act, meaning that the public cannot formally request information from it.
