The big moment the world of Sport has been waiting for has finally arrived: The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has just officially launched the pilot phase of the first ever independent rating and verification system, bespoke to the sporting industry.
Commonly known as SIRVS, the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System is an integral part of SIGA’s ecosystem. A game changer that will lead Sport and the wider industry into a new era of enhanced governance, integrity, transparency, and public accountability.
SIRVS will assess and rate sports organisations’ level of implementation of, and compliance with, the 2020 Edition of the SIGA Universal Standards, released on 21 April as the 12th Boosting Measure of the #SIGASTRIVES action plan.
The aim of SIRVS is to provide rigorous, impartial, objective and strictly independent assessment of sports organisations in three complementary core areas: Good Governance, Financial Integrity and Sports Betting Integrity. A fourth set of universal standards, focusing on Youth Development and Child Protection, is now being developed by an international multi-stakeholder task force, to be ready later this year.
British Standards Institution (BSI), as one of the world’s leading organisations in standard creation and certification assessments, was selected through public tender 18 months ago to support the SIRVS program. BSI will serve as the independent auditing body for the SIRVS scheme, working on behalf of SIGA, who will then determine the appropriate SIRVS rating achieved by sports organisations. The design of the SIRVS program is now complete, having been reconfigured to enable remote auditing to navigate the current travel restrictions posted by the global pandemic. For more information on the audit scheme please click here.
On the launch of the pilot-phase of SIRVS, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of SIGA and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, stated:
“Today is a historical day for SIGA and all those who care about Clean Sport! After so many recurrent and devastating scandals, sports organisations know it’s no longer enough to simply proclaim they are fit for purpose. Fans, sponsors, broadcasters and even governments are done with promises, lip service and window-dressing. They are done with self-assessments too. They want, and deserve, the truth. They want to see evidence. Independent proof. And that’s exactly what SIRVS brings to the table.
From now on, before investing their passion and putting their money and reputation into Sport, fans, brands, broadcasters and investors will want to see where international federations, leagues and Olympic committees stand in the SIGA Rating System. That’s the ultimate test. The real deal. And, of course, a powerful incentive for sports organisations to raise their game!”
Frank Lee, Technical Director of BSI Product Certification, said:
“BSI has worked with SIGA over the last 18 months to develop the formal integrity certification program, which is owned and operated by SIGA, called the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification Scheme (SIRVS). BSI will serve as the independent auditing body on behalf of SIGA, who will then determine the appropriate SIRVS rating achieved by sports organizations. BSI supports the SIRVS program and the impact it will bring in raising the level of integrity within the sporting industry.”
The sports organisations that will go through SIRVS during the pilot phase will be announced next month.
If you are a sports organisation and would like to find out more on SIRVS please contact [email protected].
This is the 29th in a set of 30 boosting measures being announced and developed by SIGA.
The 30th and final SIGA STRIVES Measure 30 will be announced tomorrow! Stay tuned.