Ethics and integrity in sport: ethical frameworks applied to contemporary issues (drugs in sport, gender equity, race and indigenous participation, gambling, technology, violence), the role of sport governance

QCE Physical Education Unit 3 places ethics and integrity alongside tactical awareness as the major focus of the year. The QCAA syllabus expects you to apply ethical frameworks to specific contemporary issues in Australian sport. This dot point covers the frameworks and the issues.

Ethical frameworks

The main ethical frameworks the QCAA syllabus expects you to apply:

Deontology (rule-based ethics)

Right action is determined by adherence to rules, duties, or principles. A deontological view of sport says athletes must follow the rules and respect opponents regardless of consequences.

Application. Doping is wrong because it breaks the rules of fair competition, regardless of whether others are doping or whether the athlete personally benefits.

Consequentialism (outcome-based ethics)

Right action is determined by the consequences it produces. A consequentialist view considers outcomes - who is helped, who is harmed, what the result is.

Application. Drug testing reduces overall harm because it deters doping that would otherwise spread; the testing itself is justified by the broader benefit to fair competition.

Virtue ethics

Right action is what a person of good character would do. Focus on the athlete's integrity, courage, sportsmanship, humility rather than just on rules or outcomes.

Application. A football player who shakes hands with the opposing player after a hard match demonstrates good sportsmanship - this is virtue ethics. A player who takes the equipment manager out for dinner after they helped during a tough season demonstrates loyalty and gratitude.

Justice and fairness

Equal treatment, fair distribution of opportunities, recognition of disadvantage. Particularly relevant to gender equity, racial equity, and disability participation in sport.

Contemporary ethical issues

Drugs in sport

The largest single ethical issue.

• Performance-enhancing drugs. Anabolic steroids, EPO, growth hormone, peptides, stimulants. WADA Code prohibits and Sport Integrity Australia enforces.
• Recreational drugs. Out-of-competition use is restricted by some sports.
• Therapeutic Use Exemptions. Athletes with legitimate medical conditions can use otherwise-banned substances. Ethics: where is the line between legitimate use and exploitation?
• Major Australian cases. The Essendon supplements saga (AFL 2012-2015), Shayna Jack 2019 (swimming), various individual cases over decades.

Ethical frameworks applied: deontological (it breaks the rules), consequentialist (it produces unfair results and health harm), virtue (it shows poor character).

Gender equity

• Pay gaps between male and female athletes in the same sport (AFL vs AFLW, NRL vs NRLW, cricket men's vs women's).
• Media coverage disparities (improving since 2015, still uneven).
• Pathway and infrastructure differences.
• Trans and intersex athletes in elite sport - policies vary by code and are contested.

Ethical frameworks: justice (equal pay for equal contribution), consequentialism (broader social impact of representation), virtue (recognising the contributions of women in sport historically and now).

Race and Indigenous participation

• Racism in Australian sport (the Adam Goodes booing 2014-2015 as the canonical example).
• Indigenous representation at elite level (high in AFL and NRL playing ranks, lower in coaching and administration).
• Cultural safety in mainstream sport.
• Indigenous-led sport development (Clontarf, John Moriarty Foundation, Stars, NASCA).

Ethical frameworks: justice and virtue particularly important. The question is what fair treatment, recognition, and reconciliation look like in practice.

Gambling

• Sports betting growth since 2010 has made Australians the highest per-capita gambling losers in the world.
• In-game betting advertising integrated into broadcast.
• Problem gambling disproportionately affects young men, the same demographic targeted by sports betting marketing.
• The Murphy Review (2023) recommended phased advertising restrictions during live sport.

Ethical frameworks: consequentialist (massive social harm from problem gambling), justice (vulnerable populations targeted), deontological (sport governance has a duty to prevent harm where it can).

Technology

• Carbon-plated marathon shoes (3-5% performance improvement, raising fairness questions).
• High-tech swimsuits (banned in 2010 after a record-breaking era).
• Cycling aerodynamics, time trial bikes, disc wheels.
• Recovery technology (cryotherapy, altitude tents) with cost barriers.
• Genetic testing and selection.

Ethical frameworks: justice (access and cost), consequentialism (does the tech change what the sport is?), deontological (are there rules that should constrain tech?).

Violence in sport

• Concussion management (class actions in AFL and NRL).
• The boundary between legitimate physical play and dangerous play.
• Spectator behaviour and crowd violence.
• Domestic violence by athletes (cases across multiple codes).

Ethical frameworks: consequentialist (health harms), virtue (what kind of sport do we want to be), justice (protecting the vulnerable, including women and children affected by player behaviour off the field).

The role of sport governance

Australian sport governance involves multiple bodies:

• Sport Integrity Australia (SIA). Anti-doping, anti-match-fixing, broader integrity. Established 2020 by merging ASADA and related bodies.
• Sport Australia. Federal agency for sport policy and participation.
• Australian Institute of Sport (AIS). Elite athlete development.
• National Sports Tribunal. Disputes resolution.
• Code-specific bodies. AFL Integrity Unit, NRL Integrity Unit, Cricket Australia Integrity Unit, etc.
• State-level bodies governing state sport.

Governance roles include:

• Setting rules that define what is and is not acceptable.
• Investigating breaches.
• Sanctioning athletes, officials, and clubs that breach rules.
• Educating about integrity, ethics, and rule changes.
• Reform when ethical issues require structural change.

The effectiveness of governance is the major debate. Strong governance (well-funded, independent, transparent) consistently catches and deters misconduct better than weak governance.

How this dot point applies

A typical QCE Unit 3 question asks you to apply ethical frameworks to a specific contemporary issue in a chosen sport. Strong responses:

1. Identify the issue precisely (which drugs, what gender equity gap, which racism case, which gambling product).
2. Apply at least two ethical frameworks (deontology and consequentialism are the easiest pair).
3. Cite specific Australian examples and dates.
4. Discuss the role of governance.
5. Make an explicit judgment.

The Unit 3 internal assessment typically requires an extended written piece on a contemporary ethical issue in a chosen sport. Strong students bring evidence (data, cases, sources) and apply frameworks with discipline rather than relying on opinion alone.