DoctorAte in Sport Ethics and Integrity
Lead Research Organisation:
Swansea University
Department Name: College of Engineering
Abstract
The DoctorAl Training Network in Sport Ethics and Integrity (DAiSI) is an interdisciplinary network comprised of 5 prestigious
universities (KU Leuven (Belgium, lead), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany), Norwegian School of Sport
Sciences (Norway), Swansea University (Wales), and University of Lausanne (Switzerland)and 8 leading international sport federations, sport organisations and non-governmental organisations: International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), International Biathlon Union (IBU), and Athletics Inegrity Unit (AIU). Our research domains include cheating, doping, match-fixing, data protection, sexual harassment and abuse, credibility, reputation and damage-limitation. We examine the problems, identify published and novel solutions, deliver multi-disciplinary research and work with stakeholders to improve policy and guidelines to prevent future harms to sportspersons and organisations. The network provides extensive training and interdisciplinary doctoral education to 13 selected doctoral researchers, recruited impartially from around the world. Every thesis contributes to a coherent programme of research, which takes a three-dimensional approach, at the individual, competition and organisational levels (each of which has its own ethical, legal and social challenges). Our researchers will graduate from the programme with a joint doctorate from at least two leading universities, as well as having gained real-world experience and skills that make them immensely attractive to employers.
universities (KU Leuven (Belgium, lead), Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (Germany), Norwegian School of Sport
Sciences (Norway), Swansea University (Wales), and University of Lausanne (Switzerland)and 8 leading international sport federations, sport organisations and non-governmental organisations: International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), International Biathlon Union (IBU), and Athletics Inegrity Unit (AIU). Our research domains include cheating, doping, match-fixing, data protection, sexual harassment and abuse, credibility, reputation and damage-limitation. We examine the problems, identify published and novel solutions, deliver multi-disciplinary research and work with stakeholders to improve policy and guidelines to prevent future harms to sportspersons and organisations. The network provides extensive training and interdisciplinary doctoral education to 13 selected doctoral researchers, recruited impartially from around the world. Every thesis contributes to a coherent programme of research, which takes a three-dimensional approach, at the individual, competition and organisational levels (each of which has its own ethical, legal and social challenges). Our researchers will graduate from the programme with a joint doctorate from at least two leading universities, as well as having gained real-world experience and skills that make them immensely attractive to employers.
Publications
Harry Grimes
(2024)
Trust Building Cultures
Nita Gjikoli
(2024)
Harassment Report
Sesa G
(2024)
Olympic Glory Vs. Athlete Safety: Ethical Lessons From the Seine Water Quality Controversy
in Public Health Reviews
| Description | Creative analysis methods |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | DAiSI summer school |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Data analysis software |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Working with Vulnerable populations lecture |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | International Federation of Association Football |
| Organisation | International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Sharing insights into current reading around doping and legislation. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Sharing of insights into current challenges and issues. Placement arranged for the summer. |
| Impact | No outputs produced yet. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | International Olympic Committee |
| Organisation | International Olympic committee |
| Country | Switzerland |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Meetings have occurred between the IOC and the PhD student to ensure the research conducted aligns with their needs and interests. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The IOC have provided insights into their ongoing challenges and plans pertaining to Safe Sport to inform the research project. |
| Impact | None yet |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) |
| Organisation | World Anti-Doping Agency |
| Country | Canada |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | PhD Candidate Anna Semenova is working closely with WADA to formulate her research projects and to address their specific needs regarding understanding athlete vulnerability in sport. Anna has met with WADA approximately every month for the last 12 months to discuss their ongoing views and challenges. PhD student Harry Grimes is working closely with WADA to develop his research project to align with their interests and needs. He is planning a secondment for June. |
| Collaborator Contribution | WADA have shared insights into their perceptions of the two projects and what they would see as beneficial outputs. They have also introduced Anna and Harry to other students working in other areas and shared insights into ongoing projects. A placement for both is planned for June 2025. |
| Impact | None currently. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | BW presentation to FINCIS |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A presentation on current legal considerations pertaining to Doping in Sport. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Finnish Centre for Integrity in Sport (HG) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Presentation delivered to the Finnish Centre for Integrity in Sport (FINCIS) on the case of the Chinese swimmers and trust in anti-doping |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Guest Lecture - Strict Liability |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | BW provided a guest lecture to the Master's in Sport Management class on strict liability. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Guest Lecture on Athlete Vulnerability |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A PhD student - Anna Semenova - delivered two guest lectures one for MSc students and one to BSc students pertaining to athlete vulnerability. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Guest lecture - The Jannik Skinner Case |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | BW provided a guest lecture on the 2nd year undergraduate ethics module. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Guest lecture at Swansea University Sport and Exercise Science Sport Integrity module for undergraduate students |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to undergraduate students on Competition Match Manipulation as part of their undergraduate second year integrity module. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Introduction to Safeguarding in Sport |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | A guest lecture was delivered by a PhD student at the University of Lausanne for MSc students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Introduction to Safeguarding in Sport (ALSS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presentation for the Academy of Leadership Sciences Switzerland (ALSS). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation to the Finish Integrity Unit (LK) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presentation to FINCIS/SUEK (Finnish Sports Integrity Centre), Helsinki, Finland by PhD Laima Kirtovska. "Performance indicators for the impact of prevention of football competition manipulation". Presentation of my research project and the progress of it so far. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Takeaways from anti-match fixing, anti-doping and broader integrity education research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A presentation at the Dublin Integrity Summit for Home Nations Football Associations, Dublin, Ireland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |