CCES Blog: Making Sport Better
Welcome to the CCES blog. We’ll be using this platform to share our views on anything and everything related to ethics in sport – from playground to podium. The CCES uses ethical debate to create an environment for meaningful dialogue around the future of sport. We strive to shape the public consensus of how we should behave when we compete, always recognizing that in a democracy, consensus is dynamic.
The primary contributors to this blog are the members of the CCES executive team (listed below), with occasional entries from other CCES staff:
Paul Melia, President and Chief Executive Officer
Karri Dawson, Executive Director, Values-Based Sport
Jeremy Luke, Executive Director, Sport Integrity
SUBSCRIBE to be notified of new posts through email.
My Moment
November 21, 2017We can all think of moments in our life when we received recognition for something we had accomplished – big or small. It feels good. It validates the time and effort we put into the task. As good as those moments may have felt though I’m thinking very few probably compare to the feeling an athlete...Read more
Would Your Student-Athlete Make the Right Call?
October 3, 2017A teammate is using banned stimulants before games to get an energy boost. If she gets caught, the entire team could be suspended from playing in their school league. A new player on the team is being bullied, but the coach isn’t doing anything about it. A group of friends show up drunk to the...Read more
Is good governance an ethical issue?
July 25, 2017Is good governance an ethical issue? It certainly can be. When governance of an organization is flawed, this can and often does create conflicts of interest and interference with the ability of an organization to carry out its mission and mandate.Read more
The Sport We Want Places Values First
March 28, 2017The Penn State child sex abuse scandal is back in the news following the recent conviction of the university’s former president. A jury found Graham Spanier guilty of one misdemeanor count of child endangerment that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Mr. Spanier...Read more
Finding Solutions out of Scandal
December 8, 2016Tomorrow morning, Canadian law professor, Richard McLaren, is set to release a second, in-depth report into Russia’s state-sponsored doping regime. In July, his first report sent shock waves through the international sport community. He presented compelling evidence that implicated the highest...Read more
Watching the Rio Opening Ceremonies
August 4, 2016I love watching the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympic Games. It’s a spectacle like few others in sport. Athletes from countries large and small parade into the main stadium, perma-smiles etched on their faces, many skipping and hopping their way around the track, powered by pride and purpose.Read more
Clean athletes cheated before Games even begin
July 25, 2016Sadly, I was wrong. I had naively hoped the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would recognize all the unmistakable signs and heed the deafening global call for a ban on Russian athletes competing in Rio. ...Read more
All Signs Point to a Complete Russian Ban at Rio 2016
July 22, 2016The writing is on the wall. All that remains now is for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to do the right thing: the right thing for the integrity of sport, for clean athletes and for everyone else around the world who subscribes to the...Read more
The Time is NOW to Stand Up for Clean Sport
July 15, 2016It sounds almost melodramatic to say it, but the integrity of international sport is at stake. On Monday, respected Canadian arbitrator and law professor, Richard McLaren, will make public the findings of a major investigation into Russia’s anti-doping system. His probe follows a shocking World...Read more
No, PEDs make sport less safe for athletes
January 19, 2016“It’s my body. It’s my biochemistry.” These are the words of David Asprey as quoted by Adam Kreek in his article entitled, “Can PEDs Make Sport Safer for Athletes?” Are these the words of a true libertarian or just a person looking to increase his sales in his online business? And while Adam Kreek...Read more
Reflecting on 2015: The Year of Sport in Canada
January 13, 2016The CCES would like to wish the sport community all the best in the New Year. As we dive into 2016, now is a good time to look back at 2015 and consider the lessons that can be learned. Below is a guest blog post that I’d like to share from our friend Bob Elliott from the Sport Matters Group. Read more
Conflict of interest in anti-doping
December 17, 2015The FIFA bribery and corruption proceedings, the International Amateur Athletic Federation doping investigation and the Russian “doping scandal” have raised important questions regarding the role of governments, international sport federations (IFs), national anti-doping organizations (NADOs), the...Read more
Bittersweet victory
December 4, 2015As new doping violations are confirmed against international athletes who medaled at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games (TORONTO 2015), it’s a bittersweet victory for Team Canada. The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) congratulates Zack Chetrat, Alec Page and Rachel Hannah on...Read more
Policies aren’t enough ... ensuring sport organizations are creating safe and respectful environments
November 18, 2015Creating an environment free from harassment and bullying is a topic that Canadians have found themselves considering over the past year. Sport is not immune to societal trends and incidents of inappropriate behaviour are frequently discussed in sport boardrooms across the country. While the focus...Read more
Mid-term Report on the New Canadian Anti-Doping Program
October 15, 2015Halfway through the adoption period for the new Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP), there’s reason for both optimism and concern. Let’s start with the glass half full: the new program is working. ...Read more
Courage in sport comes in all forms
July 20, 2015
On July 15, Caitlyn Jenner was recognized with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. This is an award given to an athlete who is willing to stand up for their beliefs regardless of the cost. Caitlyn has brought important attention to the issues surrounding trans individuals and her story will no doubt...Read more
Values-based sport. Why?
July 7, 2015
All too often we hear of bad things happening in sport. At the same time, we also hear about heartwarming stories of how sport has made a positive difference in someone’s life. We’ve seen how, for example, a world-class performance can be elevated when an athlete demonstrates amazing character in...Read more
Are we standing still or moving forward? (Part 2)
June 23, 2015
In yesterday’s post, we looked at how doping can impact sport and what led to the “Dubin Inquiry.” In this post, we’ll look at how Canada reacted and where we are today: Canada took Justice Dubin’s words to heart. We were no longer prepared as a country and a sport community to stand still on...Read more
Are we standing still or moving forward? (Part 1)
June 22, 2015
The cost of standing still versus the benefits of moving forward is well understood in sport. We would do well to remember this tactical advice as we respond to the harm that doping causes to sport. When athletes cheat by doping, they harm themselves, they harm their sport and they harm their...Read more
Dylan receives his due
February 18, 2015
“It just shows if you listen to your coach and you’re dedicated and you work hard, you can do it clean.” That is what Dylan Armstrong, Canadian shot put bronze medalist at the Beijing Olympics, said this past Sunday at the training center in Kamloops, British Columbia where he trains. He made this...Read more