Commonwealth sports ministers want transparency in National Sports Federations

The Commonwealth sports ministers today unanimously resolved that all National Sports Federations should adopt internationally accepted good governance principles to ensure transparency and
accountability during their fifth conference here.

The meeting was held here under the chairmanship of Indian Sports Minister MS Gill on the sidelines of the Games.

Apart from Commonwealth secretary general Kamalesh Sharma, the ministers and delegates from 39 Commonwealth countries and observers from eight countries attended the meeting.

Commonwealth Games Federation president Michael Fennell,
organising committee chairman Suresh Kalmadi, World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman, among
others were also present in the meeting. 

"Ministers congratulated the host country India for the spectacular opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games, and its gracious hospitality in bringing together 71 nations for the Games," he said.

"The ministers resolved unanimously that all national sporting bodies should adopt internationally accepted good governance principles, as Sports development is a public service. Ministers further emphasised that transparency and accountability by adopting good governance principles would be the appropriate way to secure and protect the autonomy of sport," a statement from the ministers read.

Ministers also received reports from the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace on its working group on children and youth.

The ministers requested the Commonwealth secretariat to explore ways to encouraged all Commonwealth governments to accept, access, approve, ratify and implement the UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport.

"Thanked and commended the government of India for providing the resources for the continuation of the position of the Commonwealth Sports Development Adviser in the Commonwealth Secretariat for the period 2010-2013, and
expressed the hope that such an arrangement will be continued
by host governments of the future Commonwealth Games.

They also agreed to meet again in the margins of the Olympic Games to be held in London in 2012.