Collaboration, dialogue and shared responsibility at the heart of global efforts to promote integrity in sport
Lausanne, 29 October 2025 – The Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) continues to demonstrate its commitment to transparency, accountability and fair play through active engagement with the global integrity community.
In October, representatives from the AQIU participated in the 5th International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI), organised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) under the theme “Evolving for Integrity.”
The event brought together more than 400 leaders from the Olympic Movement, governments, intergovernmental organisations and betting authorities, both in person and online. The Forum reaffirmed the collective commitment to protect and promote integrity across all levels of sport, while also providing a valuable opportunity for dialogue on good governance, competition integrity and the importance of ensuring safe sport for all participants.
Discussions throughout the Forum explored emerging challenges and opportunities, particularly the evolving role of technology and artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of sports integrity. Panels examined a range of issues, including the shared responsibility of sports organisations to uphold integrity, strategies for tackling competition manipulation through collaboration and the importance of safeguarding approaches that recognise contextual realities within sport.
The Forum culminated in the unanimous adoption of the Universal Declaration on Sports Integrity, a new action-oriented framework outlining responsibilities and follow-up actions across four key priority areas: promoting good governance and combating corruption in sport; preventing competition manipulation; integrity in officiating and the role of AI; and safeguarding in sport.
In addition to participating in the Forum, the AQIU also recently met with other global integrity units to exchange insights and explore areas of collaboration. Discussions focused on a range of important topics, including funding models and organisational structures designed to prevent conflicts of interest, reflections on recent integrity cases and developments in anti-doping programmes. The AQIU and its counterparts also discussed learnings from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the importance of mental health considerations in integrity matters and best practices for data protection and the ethical use of AI tools within the integrity field.
Through these engagements, the AQIU continues to strengthen its collaboration with international partners and reaffirm its dedication to upholding fairness, protecting athletes, and fostering a culture of integrity throughout the world of aquatic sport.