The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has released the conclusions of the SIGA Youth Council Global Survey 2025, an international study that gathered 100 responses from young people aged 18 to 30, representing 27 countries across six continents. Participants included athletes, former athletes, coaches, executives, academics, media professionals and fans. The report is published as part of the SIGA Youth Forum, the initiative of the Youth Council that marks the final working day of the Sport Integrity Action Month.
The findings highlight clear priorities and concerns expressed by the emerging generation of sports stakeholders, reaffirming the essential role of youth in building safer, more transparent and more inclusive sport systems.
Key conclusions include the following:
- Youth Development and Child Protection emerged as the top priority among the SIGA Universal Standards, identified by 62 per cent of respondents, ahead of Good Governance, selected by 52 per cent.
- 48 per cent of respondents reported having witnessed or experienced breaches of sport integrity, including harassment, bullying, racism, abuse of power, and financial misconduct.
- Participants emphasised the pivotal role young people can play in driving change, pointing to the influence of social media, ethical leadership, peer engagement, and advocacy.
- The most commonly identified threats to sport integrity were lack of governance and compliance, financial malpractice, behavioural misconduct, violence, harassment and abuse, and lack of sport-related educational opportunities.
- Respondents stressed the need for strengthened safeguarding frameworks, transparent governance, ethical leadership, and more effective mechanisms to protect young athletes and participants. They also called for greater youth representation in decision-making structures, including committees, youth councils and leadership pathways.
The survey confirms that young people are not only aware of the risks affecting Sport Integrity, but also willing and ready to act as strategic allies in promoting a culture of fairness, safety and accountability.
The report also presents recommendations directed at sport organisations, policymakers and educators, aimed at enhancing youth protection, strengthening integrity education and fostering more inclusive governance structures.
Anca-Maria Gherghel, Co-Chair of the SIGA Youth Council declared:
“As Co-Chair of the SIGA Youth Council, I’ve just helped to sign off the 2025 edition of our Global Survey, and two very clear findings came back from the 18 to 30-year-old sports fans, players, executives and academics that took part in our research: They believe that good governance in sport is crucial if we want to have true faith in sporting integrity; and that development and education relating to sports integrity for young people is equally paramount if we’re to ensure that everyone shares the same cultural and sporting values to keep sport honest, transparent, and competitive on performance-based merit.
The people that kindly took part in the survey are the future leaders and advocates of professional sport, so it’s crucial that these voices are heard.
It’s also heartening for me, as SIGA Youth Council Co-Chair and part of SIGA’s member EPIC Global Solutions, that the calls align with the messaging around sporting integrity that EPIC initially shared via the Gambling Harm Prevention in Sport Review white paper, which is now approaching three years old, but still proposes solutions that remain as relevant as ever. Both organisations I represent share the same vision that sporting competition needs to be fair, inclusive and trusted, making provision for preventative education to be at the heart of a future where integrity is at the core of ensuring sport adheres to those binding guarantees.”
Likhaya Ntlokonkulu, Co-Chair of the SIGA Youth Council added:
“As Co-Chairperson of the SIGA Youth Council, I am proud to present this year’s Youth Perspectives on Sport Integrity Report. A special mention goes to my co-chairperson, Anca-Maria Gherghel and the research task-team for delivering a truly youth-led project that amplifies the voices of young athletes, professionals, and sport enthusiasts from around the world. This research highlights not only the challenges young people continue to face, but also the clarity, insight, and ambition they bring to shaping a more transparent, ethical, and inclusive future for sport. Their reflections underscore a powerful message: safeguarding integrity is not just a policy priority, but a lived experience that must be protected at every level of the sporting ecosystem. We hope this report inspires meaningful action and reaffirms the vital role youth must play in driving global sport integrity reform.”
The publication of this report within the SIGA Youth Forum underscores SIGA’s commitment to elevating the voices of young leaders and integrating their perspectives into the global sport integrity agenda, as the Sport Integrity Action Month comes to a close.
Download the SIGA Youth Council Survey Report
SIGA Youth Forum 2025: Youth Protection & Safeguarding in Sport
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