Motorsport Australia’s first woman vice president, Margot Foster AM, has been appointed as a member of the newly formed Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council.
The nine-person Council’s purpose is to provide strategic advice to both the CEO of Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), David Sharpe and Australian Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, to help strengthen the integrity framework of sport across Australia.
Since joining the Motorsport Australia board in 2018, Margot has had a positive influence on Motorsport Australia, bringing her extensive governance, legal and broad sport knowledge to the sport’s board and organisation more broadly.
Her membership of the Council is just one of the many accolades Margot has achieved since winning a bronze medal for rowing, Australia’s first in the discipline for women, during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. She has also served on a variety of boards including the Australian Sports Commission and Sport New Zealand.
“I am very pleased to have been appointed to this inaugural Council, following the establishment of SIA last year,” Margot said.
“Clean and fair sport is essential to athletes, coaches and administrators who give their all to be the best they can be on a level playing field. As a former elite athlete I know only too well what it is like to compete against those who cheat.
“The integrity challenge, of course, exists both on and off the field of play from the boardroom to the change room.
“I look forward to working with my fellow Council members, the CEO, the wider sports industry community and, of course, the Minister, to meet that ongoing challenge.”
Chaired by fellow 1984 Olympian and current World Sailing Vice President Sarah Kenny, the Council features a number of high profile individuals from sport, governance, government administration, law enforcement, integrity and child protection.
Joining Margot and Sarah on the council are Golf Australia CEO James Sutherland, Paralympics Australia CEO Lynne Anderson, former elite athlete Scott Draper, former NSW Police Commissioner Ken Moroney, former senior public servant Peter Conran, policy adviser Jason Marocchi and National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell.
Announcing the Council’s creation, Minister Colbeck was confident the Council would bring significant value to sport integrity issues and the way they are addressed.
“The Government has invested heavily in protecting the integrity of Australian sport,” Minister Colbeck said.
“By establishing Sport Integrity Australia and the National Sports Tribunal, increasing investment into independent complaint handling and forming the Sport Integrity Australia Advisory Council, Australians can be confident everything possible is being done to keep the sport they love clean, safe and fair.”
“Each member brings skills and knowledge to provide advice on all areas of sports integrity,” Minister Colbeck added.
“It follows the Australian Government’s recent investment of $10.1 million to introduce an independent complaints handling process within Sport Integrity Australia.”