Lessons learnt from the top sports crises of 2022

Another year where sport could inspire and did in so many ways.

Yet on so many levels, a lack of communication or a total failure to understand internal and external audiences has led to another catalogue of crises that damage reputations and potentially the bottom line.

Regular communications audits, preparing for the unpredictable and utilising communications executives to provide strategic counsel can help organisations to build a legion of advocates and ensure an issue doesn’t become fatal.

What is clear this year is that many sports organisations do not put enough thought into some of the things that they do, or they treat their audiences with indifference, confident that they will remain loyal come what may.

The misplaced confidence often results in sponsors departing, leadership leaving or fans boycotting, and it’s another reminder that what you do is just as important as what you say.

We take a look back at some of the biggest sports crises of 2022 – with plenty of lessons to be learnt for organisations large and small.

FIFA

The FIFA World Cup has been enjoyable on the pitch – but it is hard to ignore the controversies that have overshadowed the tournament in Qatar.

As the custodians of the global game, FIFA needed to work hard to counter the bad publicity surrounding the tournament, especially after it was moved to the winter, an unprecedented move that cuts the domestic seasons in Europe in two.

There had already been concerns about the nature of the bid process, and while there is a dispute over the numbers, estimates suggest that there have been 6,500 migrant construction worker deaths with reports of terrible working and living conditions which has seen the tournament labelled “The World Cup built on modern slavery.”

Reports of a whistleblower being tortured on the night prior to tournament hardly helped matters.

Images of unfinished or spartan fan tent accommodation have seen the event compared to the ill-fated Fyre Fest, and when FIFA needed some good news on the eve of the tournament, they scored another own goal, effectively making one of their primary sponsors redundant.

Despite regular reassurance, Qatar’s strict alcohol controls were extended with no alcohol sold at stadia apart from in the hospitality sections, with sponsor Budweiser losing out.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino could have acknowledged the problems and shown some humility so that there is no repeat of these problems in future tournaments.

But Infantino used his press conference to lash out bizarrely at his critics, saying: “Today I have very strong feelings, I can tell you.

“Today I feel Qatari. Today I feel Arab. Today I feel African. Today I feel gay. Today I feel disabled. Today I feel a migrant worker.

“For what we Europeans have been doing for the last 3,000 years around the world, we should be apologising for the next 3,000 years.

“You want to stay at home and say how bad they are, these Arabs, these Muslims, because it’s not allowed to be publicly gay. I believe it should be allowed. But it is a process. If someone thinks that hammering and criticising will achieve something, well I can tell you it will be exactly the opposite. It will close more doors.

“They (Qatar) have confirmed and I can confirm that everyone is welcome. If you have a person here and there who says the opposite, it’s not the opinion of the country, it’s certainly not the opinion of FIFA.”

Nicholas McGeehan, director of the human rights group FairSquare, was critical of Infantino’s remarks.

He said: “Infantino’s comments were as crass as they were clumsy and suggest that the FIFA president is getting his talking points directly from the Qatari authorities.

“Deflection and whataboutery have always been at the core of Qatar’s PR efforts to defend its rank failures, and now they have the FIFA president doing their work for them.”

When a worker died at Saudi Arabia’s training base, the response was indifference rather than shock and sadness.

Qatar CEO Nasser al-Khater should have understood that the death of a worker during the tournament would be big news.

Instead, he questioned why it was a topic of discussion in a press conference, saying: “We're in the middle of a World Cup and we have a successful World Cup and this is something you want to talk about right now?

“I mean, death is a natural part of life, whether it's at work, whether it's in your sleep. Of course, a worker died - our condolences go to his family.

“However, you know, I mean it's strange that this is something you want to focus on as your first question.”

Human Rights Watch was quick to criticise the lack of concern and stated: “Qatar and FIFA have doubtlessly learned by now that the world is watching more than just the games, and seeing officials’ blatant disregard for the migrant workers who built the infrastructure that made this World Cup possible.

“Instead of trying to deflect the criticism, Qatar and FIFA should right these wrongs by compensating migrant workers and their families.”

While FIFA issued a brief statement, it was notable that at a time where he could show his compassionate side, Infantino was kept away from more media opportunities, with the highly controlled in-house team producing interviews with him ignoring the real issues and simply celebrating the “best ever” group stages.

FIFA, who have also faced criticism over the treatment of the LGBTQ+ community in Qatar, also threatened teams with sporting sanctions if players wore a rainbow armband with “One Love” written on it.

Many European nations had announced in October that they would wear the armband as an act of solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community who are criminalised in Qatar, but hours before England’s opening game against Iran, the nations issued a joint statement confirming that they would now not wear the armbands or risk a yellow card.

"We are very frustrated by the FIFA decision which we believe is unprecedented.

"FIFA has been very clear that it will impose sporting sanctions if our captains wear the armbands on the field of play. We were prepared to pay fines that would normally apply to breaches of kit regulations and had a strong commitment to wearing the armband. However, we cannot put our players in the situation where they might be booked or even forced to leave the field of play."

The German national team then put their hands over their mouths for the pre-match photo and interior minister Nancy Faeser wore the ‘One Love’ armband as she sat next to Infantino in the stands of their opening game against Japan.

Germany head coach Flick explained: “It was a sign, a message that we wanted to send out. We wanted to convey the message that FIFA is silencing us."

FIFA also banned Belgium’s away kit which has the word "Love" on the collar and Wales fans later had rainbow hats confiscated by local authorities.

The sad fact is that gay fans have been wary, advised to “respect the law” while ambassador and former Qatari footballer Khalid Salman described homosexuality as “damage in the mind.”

Not once did Infantino or FIFA rebut these positions or challenge the negative viewpoints publicly.

Beyond sexual diversity, Iranian women have been detained for wearing t-shirts with the ‘Women, Life, Freedom’ slogan supporting female emancipation and support for Mahsa Amini, who died at the hands of Iranian police after being arrested for not wearing her hijab in accordance with government standards.

Again, no comment from FIFA when they could take a stand and underline the importance of equality and accessibility for all.

Even in his concluding press conference, Infantino criticised those using the World Cup as a platform for politics, saying that players should respect the football while doubling down on his assertion that FIFA “takes care of everyone.”

It’s hard to be convinced by that based on the way FIFA handled the tournament.

Learning: FIFA have a responsibility to support football for all - and while the decision to hand the World Cup to Qatar was initially questionable - they still had a chance to make good on their assurances that football could be a force for positive change.

Instead of deflecting and pointing to atrocities from days gone by, Gianni Infantino could have shown leadership and humility and engaged with the individuals and communities who have felt sidelined and targeted by Qatar’s repressive laws.
Not once did we see Infantino mix with fans or accept that progress had not been as widespread as FIFA might have hoped.

Rather than doubling down, Infantino had an opportunity to use the biggest stage of all to stand up for everyone. And instead he hid behind rhetoric which leaves many to believe that FIFA does not represent them.

With the World Cup being held in Canada, the United States and Mexico in 2026, FIFA has plenty of time to address its own shortcomings.

Whether it - or Infantino for that matter - has the appetite to do so remains to be seen.

THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN

After the drama surrounding Novak Djokovic and his exclusion from the 2022 tournament, the last thing the Australian Open needed was another major controversy.

The disappearance of Chinese tennis star Peng Shuai, after she had accused a high-ranking Chinese politician of sexual assault, has caused concern around the world, and even now, little is known of her whereabouts.

In a statement, the official Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) CEO Steve Simon announced that no events would take place in China until the matter was resolved, with concerns mounting the longer Peng was missing.

He said: "While we now know where Peng is, I have serious doubts that she is free, safe and not subject to censorship, coercion and intimidation.

“If powerful people can suppress the voices of women and sweep allegations of sexual assault under the rug, then the basis on which the WTA was founded – equality for women – would suffer an immense setback. I will not and cannot let that happen to the WTA and its players. 

“In good conscience, I don’t see how I can ask our athletes to compete there (China) when Peng Shuai is not allowed to communicate freely and has seemingly been pressured to contradict her allegation of sexual assault.”

But the Australian Open and Tennis Australia (TA) clearly did not want Peng’s plight to be a talking point.

Spectators wearing T-shirts featuring a photo of Peng with the words ‘Wanted’ and ‘Where is Peng Shuai?’ were prohibited and banners were confiscated.

TA released a statement defending the decision: "Under our ticket conditions of entry, we don't allow clothing, banners or signs that are commercial or political.

"Peng Shuai's safety is our primary concern. We continue to work with WTA and global tennis community to seek more clarity on her situation and will do everything we can to ensure her wellbeing."

But there was speculation that the ban was linked to the Australian Open’s multi-million dollar five-year sponsorship deal with Chinese alcohol brand Luzhou Laojiao.

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova was quick to voice her dismay at the peaceful protests too and said: “That’s just pathetic. The @wta stands pretty much alone on this!!! #WhereisPengShuai”

The controversy and the criticism certainly prompted a re-think by the organisers and TA Chief Executive Craig Tiley confirmed: “We support the WTA’s position but at the same time we have terms and conditions about coming on site.

”If someone wants to wear a T-shirt and make a statement about Peng Shuai, that’s fine. One of the things that will be allowed is that if someone wants to wear a T-shirt [with] their personal view on something; but if they come in as a mob to disrupt, that’s not OK.”

In November, Simon reiterated his stance: “The WTA continues to work towards a resolution and are hopeful we will be in a position to operate events in the region in 2023 and beyond but we will not compromise our founding principles in order to do so.”

Learning: One of the worst things any organisation can do is to appear to put profits before people.

The Australian Open and TA could have taken a stand and supported an athlete whose health and safety is unknown.

Instead, a heavy-handed approach to campaigners went viral on social media and gave rise to suspicions that lucrative Chinese sponsors were directly or indirectly influencing the event’s policies.

The WTA has lost money by refusing to stage its finals in Shenzhen, despite signing a lucrative 10-year contract in 2018 – and its stance for one of its own is something TA would do well to heed.

LIV GOLF

A new golf competition backed by funding from Saudi Arabia that claims to want to grow the game, LIV Golf has always seemed like a money-making scheme for its players without the jeopardy or recognition that sporting competition requires.

In the usually conservative sport of golf, introducing a new concept and a new format is not a bad idea, as long as it’s presented positively.

But LIV Golf came in with a brazen, battering-ram approach that appeared intent on upsetting more than just the status quo.

Golf legend Greg Norman was announced as the event’s CEO and proclaimed that: "The evolution of the game has arrived. Golf was always going to be a force of good out of all this.”

Despite poor ticket sales, the inaugural event was held at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire in early June, featuring esteemed golfers such as Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio García, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Martin Kaymer.

Backed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) which also bought Newcastle United, cynics suggested that LIV Golf events were another case of sports washing by a state keen to improve its image, particularly with its questionable human rights record and the high profile murder of journalist and critic Jamal Khashoggi.

Why would players risk damage to their reputations and their broader golf careers for the sake of a somewhat meaningless competition whose only attraction was the appearance or prize money on offer?

Bryson DeChambeau, who had dismissed claims that he was set to join, then explained why he had changed his mind. He said: "It was a business decision first and foremost and that's all there was to it. It’s given me a lot more opportunity outside of the game of golf and given me more time with my family and my future family. So for me, that was the decision.” At least he was honest that money talks.

As the first event got underway, so many mis-steps underlined the need for robust communications planning to ensure a positive start.

Journalist Alan Shipnuck, who wrote an unauthorised biography of Mickelson which quoted the American  calling Saudi Arabia “scary mother------s,” was heavy-handedly ejected from a press conference, with Norman denying any knowledge.

Shipnuck later tweeted photos of Norman watching his removal while esteemed then-Associated Press journalist Rob Harris was also temporarily ejected for trying to ask questions about ethics and sports washing, which LIV’s team clearly did not want to address.

Henrik Stenson, who was only announced as Europe’s Ryder Cup captain in March, was then stripped of the honour after signing with LIV Golf.

But the situation got even more fractious when a lawsuit originally involving 11 LIV players and now the organisation itself was filed for antitrust violations against the PGA Tour, who then countersued.

Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy have been united in their opposition and speculated that Norman was trying to make up for lost time after a failed golf venture in the past.

He said: “I know Greg tried to do this back in the early ’90s. It didn’t work then, and he’s trying to make it work now. I still don’t see how that’s in the best interests of the game.

“What these players are doing for guaranteed money, what is the incentive to practise? What is the incentive to go out there and earn it in the dirt? To play there, I disagree with it. They’ve turned their back on what has allowed them to get to this position.”

McIlroy said: "I hate what it's doing to the game of golf. Look, it's been a tumultuous time for the world of men's professional golf in particular.

“I guess every chance I get, I'm trying to defend what I feel is the best place to play elite professional golf in the world. I hate it. I really do. I believe what I'm saying are the right things and I think when you believe that what you're saying is the right thing, you're happy to stick your neck out on the line."

McIlroy made it clear that there is no chance of restoring harmony to the sport while Norman is involved with LIV Golf, but will the Australian put the sport before his own ambition?

History suggests that is unlikely.

Learning: LIV Golf could have taken a collaborative approach, engaged in positive conversations with the DP World Tour and PGA Tour – and at least have done more to communicate the positive vision it has never really articulated.

With the wealth of Saudi Arabia behind them, there is no reason why they could not have put together some highly ambitious global community initiatives but instead, they continue to create chasms that are damaging the sport they are proclaiming to support.

When Norman refused to do interviews at the first event, it reinforced the ‘PR disaster’ narrative and gave the impression that he was not confident enough to communicate the concept he was leading.

Either that or he knew he would be in for a tough time from journalists and either wanted to shy away from it or was told not to, given his often combative nature.

Leaving golfers to face the media, with apparently little or no briefing saw them respond aggressively to journalists that they need to work hard to get onside and is another reminder of the importance of media training and briefings for anyone speaking to journalists, particularly when there’s a strong likelihood of challenging questions.

THE FIA

There has been so much progress since Liberty Media acquired the rights to the Formula One Group in 2016, building the global audience and modernising its culture.

For all their good work, though, the past 12 months have seen one crisis after another.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton had to defend his activism against criticism from FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who argued the sport had become ‘too political’ because of drivers taking the knee or wearing rainbow helmets to support marginalised elements of society.

Ben Sulayem had to make an embarrassing retreat, tweeting: “As a driver, I have always believed in sport as a catalyst of progress in society. That is why promoting sustainability, diversity and inclusion is a key priority of my mandate. In the same way, I value the commitment of all drivers and champions for a better future.”

Formula One Group CEO Stefano Domenicali then ruled out women competing in F1 in the next few years, creating more avoidable controversy.

The FIA’s handling of a financial regulations review found that Aston Martin were guilty of a procedural breach whilst Red Bull breached the procedural and minor overspend limits related to the $145m budget cap, but delays over the findings and punishments did further damage that could have been avoided.

No wonder McLaren F1 chief Zak Brown wrote to the FIA suggesting that Red Bull’s budget cap breach "constitutes cheating".

He commented: "The FIA has run an extremely thorough, collaborative and open process. We have even been given a one-year dress rehearsal (in 2020), with ample opportunity to seek any clarification if details were unclear. So, there is no reason for any team to now say they are surprised.

"The bottom line is any team who has overspent has gained an unfair advantage both in the current and following year's car development. We don't feel a financial penalty alone would be a suitable penalty for an overspend breach or a serious procedural breach. There clearly needs to be a sporting penalty in these instances, as determined by the FIA.”

The FIA should have announced immediately how much the overspend actually was and ideally what it was spent on, particularly after such a close-run title last season.

The silence gave rise to speculation and uncertainty that the sport could do without with Hamilton aware of the reputational damage that is being done.

He said: "I think we need to continue to have transparency for the fans, for the integrity of the sport. There's different numbers and different things being said here and there, so I was expecting those results – like you – to come out yesterday.”

When the FIA announced a fine of $7m and a 10% reduction in aerodynamic research, it did not feel particularly punitive.

“There is no accusation or evidence that Red Bull has sought at any time to act in bad faith, dishonestly or in a fraudulent manner, nor has it wilfully concealed any information from the Cost Cap Administration,” read an FIA statement.

Red Bull boss Christian Horner called the punishment “draconian” and added: “It’s a hit, it’s a handicap. There were other sporting penalties available but this was lobbied for hard by our competitors because it hit us the hardest.

“Following the speculation and sniping that has gone on in the paddock it is in everybody’s interest to close the book today. We accept the penalties, begrudgingly. We take it on the chin. Did we see any on-track performance? No we did not.”

Ferrari racing director Laurent Mekies questioned Horner's assessment of the net impact of the penalty.

In an interview with Sky Sports Italia, he said: "We at Ferrari think that this amount (of overspend) is worth around a couple of tenths (per lap), and so it's easy to understand that these figures can have a real impact on the outcome of the races and maybe even a championship.

"As for the penalty, we are not happy with it, for two important reasons. The first is that we at Ferrari do not understand how the 10% reduction of the ATA (aerodynamic research allowance) can correspond to the same amount of lap time that we mentioned earlier.

Wolff told Sky Sports: "I think what you see is that beyond a sporting penalty and financial fine, it's also reputational damage.

“Nine teams complied with the regulations and stayed below the cap. This is a sport of marginal gains, and everything else is just chatter. There’s no mitigating factor.”

A further reminder of the simmering tensions in F1, there was an awkward exchange between Ben Sulayem and Horner at the end of season awards ceremony which further underlines the challenges the sport has to regain trust and respect amongst its major stakeholders.

Learning: There’s a lot to unpick here.

Certainly F1’s leadership should have been better prepared for the topics they discussed.

Leaders and spokespeople so often make the mistake in thinking it’s a weakness not to give a certain or definitive answer to every question that they are posed.

In reality, clumsy or poorly-prepared responses do more harm and underline the importance of knowing how to communicate key messages when facing the media.

The delays after announcing the financial regulations investigation are another stark reminder of the importance of planning and strategy.

The silence between verdict and punishment gave rise to speculation – very little of it positive – and the impression that a deal was being negotiated behind the scenes.

In the end, few associated with the FIA came out of 2022 positively and, after the debacle of 2021, raised further questions over whether the governing body is really fit for purpose.

RAITH ROVERS

Professional clubs are pillars for their communities.

While the mood of a town or city can be affected by on-field results, the reach and impact of a club usually extends way beyond results and in these challenging times, the importance of supporting the community and standing by values that fans and locals can admire becomes fundamental.

Raith Rovers would have known that criticism and controversy would come their way when they signed former player David Goodwillie on deadline day last January.

Former Scotland international Goodwillie was ruled to be a rapist and ordered to pay £100,000 damages with his former team-mate David Robertson in 2017, despite never facing a criminal trial. The player has never expressed contrition or apologised in any way.

Raith put out a statement a day later, which undoubtedly did more harm than good: “As with all new signings, the club has carefully considered our position as a Community Club and we completely respect the differing views among fans and stakeholders, many of whom we have spoken to directly in the past 24 hours and are continuing to engage with.

“The management team is familiar with David’s career and background and – in particular – his footballing ability. That is our foremost consideration, and we believe that he will strengthen the Raith Rovers playing squad.

“Please be assured that as a community football club we fully acknowledge this signing has divided opinion amongst our loyal fans and commercial stakeholders; We aim to rebuild that trust.

“While acknowledging the gravity of what happened ten years ago, as a club we fully support and encourage rehabilitation, and many factors influenced our signing. First and foremost, this was a football related decision.”

It was of no surprise that the news prompted a series of announcements from partners and players disassociating themselves from Raith.

Bestselling author Val McDermid withdrew her support and sponsorship of the club and tweeted: “I have this morning ended my lifelong support of @RaithRovers over their signing of the rapist David Goodwillie. I have cancelled next season’s shirt sponsorship over this disgusting and despicable move. This shatters any claim to be a community or family club. This is a heartbreaker for me and many other fans, I know.”

Paul Farley, founder of sponsor Tag Games, also tweeted his decision to withdraw support and said: “Have written to @RaithRovers ending @TagGames future shirt, or other, sponsorship and requesting our branding removed from shirts for the remainder of the season. We stand with @valmcdermid and the majority of fans against violence towards women.”

Fan Martin Glass started a fundraiser which attracted thousands of pounds in donations which the charity will put towards its helpline for victims of sexual assault.

Raith’s women’s team also officially split from the club with captain Tyler Rattray tweeting: "After 10 long years playing for Raith, it's gutting I have given up now because they have signed someone like this and I want nothing to do with it!"

Scottish Women's Football Chief Executive Aileen Campbell said the move could have "devastating" consequences for the women's game in Scotland. She said: "The fact the women's club have lost their captain as a result of this is devastating. That would be a devastating consequence to lose women from the game as a result of this poor decision."

Raith’s stadium announcer, Johnny Macdonald, newly-appointed Employability Project Delivery Officer Marie Penman, and supporter liaison officer Margie Robertson all resigned, as did Supporter Director Andrew Mill.

Scotland First Minister Nicola Sturgeon added that the Scottish football authorities should take action. She said: "We have to recognise footballers are role models and young boys and girls look up to footballers so there is a responsibility on football clubs to make sure those role models are positive.

"I hope Raith Rovers reflect carefully on the groundswell of opinion that has been expressed from all walks of life, but most particular from their own fans, and perhaps think again about this decision."

Belatedly, Raith reversed their decision, with chairman John Sim issuing an additional statement which said: “I firstly want to apologise wholeheartedly to our fans, sponsors, players and the wider Raith Rovers community for the anguish and anger caused over the past few days.

“We got it wrong. In reaching our original decision, we focused far too much on football matters and not enough on what this decision would mean for our club and the community as a whole.

“Over the past couple of days, we listened carefully to the fans who have got in touch and I’m very grateful for their honesty. As chairman, as a board and as a management team, we have all learned a hard but valuable lesson.

“This very unfortunate episode is something that we all bitterly regret and we are now wholly committed to making things right.”

Goodwillie did indeed leave the club and then appeared for Livingston United in the East of Scotland League Third Division in November, listed as a trialist by the club.

Whether Livingstone United heed the problems Raith attracted remains to be seen.

Learning: This is a perfect reminder to football club executives that some things are more important than the game.

By acknowledging that they had signed Goodwillie despite his crime, the Raith board essentially admitted that his talent as a footballer was more important than the values any sports club or organisations should be promoting.

Brands, fans and the local community want to be proud of their club and not feel ashamed or denigrated by their association and support.

When even the First Minister is commenting about such a terrible transfer decision, it underlines how long it will take for Raith, and their tattered reputation, to recover.

MANLY SEA EAGLES

Diversity and inclusion is fundamental in sport – and it’s important that clubs and players lead the way and set a positive example to their fans and followers.

So when Australian National Rugby League (NRL) team Manly Warringah Sea Eagles announced that they would become the first team in the competition to wear a kit promoting LGBTQ inclusivity in the sport, it should have been a cause for celebration and approval.

The ‘Everyone in League’ jersey was launched by the club in collaboration with Dynasty Sport to be worn for the crunch game against the Sydney Roosters at 4 Pines Park.

Their founder, Tyler Rakich, said: “Sport is one of those great things where people come together from all walks of life and participate in something without exclusion. This jersey is a celebration of that and the first of its kind in the NRL.

“The ‘Everyone in League’ Jersey is something we’ve wanted to do for a number of years now. As soon as we got the concept locked in, all parties have contributed to make it what it is and it’s something we’re all really proud of.”

Interim Manly CEO Gary Wolman agreed and said the club was proud of the jersey: “The Sea Eagles have such a rich and diverse history in rugby league and in the community.

“To be able to bring this concept to life with Dynasty sport is a fantastic achievement and we are pleased to be able to share such an important message that means so much to many people in the community.”

Notably, the shirt sold out in men’s and women’s sizes within days.

And that should have been the end of it – some nice photos and perhaps some supportive comments from the players extoling the virtues of inclusivity and the celebration of acceptance. But that’s not what happened.

Instead, almost half the team refused to play in the shirt for religious and cultural reasons.

Granted, the squad should have been informed about the Pride shirt, especially when it turned out that the preparations for the shirt’s release, including gaining the support of Hollywood movie star Hugh Jackman, had been more than a year in the making.

Manly coach Des Hasler had to apologise in a press conference, revealing that none of the coaching staff nor the players had been made aware of the jersey before it was launched.

“We are here to apologise for a significant mistake made by the Manly Sea Eagles football club,” said Hasler.

“The jersey intent was to support the advocacy and human rights pertaining to gender, race culture, ability and LGBTQ rights. Sadly, the execution of what was intended to be an extremely important initiative was poor.

“There was little consultation or collaboration with key stakeholders, both inside and outside the club. Sadly, this poor management … has caused significant confusion, discomfort and pain for many people. In particular, those groups whose human rights we were, in fact, attempting to support.

“We have even adversely affected our player group, a wonderful group of people comprising of many different racial and cultural backgrounds.

“We wish to apologise to the LGBTQ community who embrace the rainbow colours, to use these colours for pride, advocacy and human rights issues which have played an integral role in the inclusion and diversity of all minority groups.”

Hasler went on to defend those who refuse to wear the shirt, adding: “They [the players] are not wearing the jersey as it conflicts with their cultural and religious beliefs, and I am concerned for their welfare.

“These young men are strong in their beliefs and convictions. We’ll give them space and the support they require. The playing group are solid and understanding of each other’s views.

“The club has made an error from which it will learn. The players will not play on Thursday and we accept their decision.“

The Sea Eagles’ season lurched from bad to worse, losing the final seven games of the NRL season and crashing out of the top eight, which saw Hasler fired.

Learning: New Manly CEO Tony Mestrov, who started his tenure on August 1, certainly has work to do to restore harmony and reputation at the Sea Eagles.

The rainbow jersey initiative was full of good intentions – but the failure to consult with and inform the playing and coaching staff had devastating consequences.

Not only did the campaign split the fanbase, but it sent the team into a downward spiral from which they never recovered.

IBA

Boxing, one of the original core sports at the Olympic Games, has been mired in controversy for years, with in-fighting and accusations of corruption throwing the sport into crisis.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has stripped the International Boxing Association (IBA) of its rights to organise boxing events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the second consecutive Games it will not be involved in due to ongoing concerns over governance issues within the organisation.

A report by sports investigator Richard McLaren said “corruption abounded” when he concluded his report into IBA’s governance, highlighting a litany of financial and integrity issues including “unjustifiable” judging scores and warnings by referees to boxers, plus secret signalling between officials in arenas.

“The people in the sport must change,” McLaren said. “They have ingrained learned behaviours in a culture that has historically not respected ethics or integrity. Corruption abounded. The trickle-down effect was that officials at all levels of the sport felt they could bend the rules with impunity.”

But boxing remains in crisis.

During elections to decide the IBA President held in Istanbul this year, a number of candidates were barred from standing over a minor breach of the rules.

They all appealed successfully to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which “would have deserved a light sanction such as a warning or even no sanction, but not an exclusion from the election," the court said in a statement.

Umar Kremlev, who was re-elected as President during the vote, was also deemed by CAS to have broken the same rules, but not excluded from standing.

The inability to stage fair and transparent elections has hardly served IBA’s cause and further underlined the IOC’s concerns.

Kremlev agreed that a new election should be held and said: “I am grateful for the confidence shown in me by the Member Federations of IBA both at the elections of 2020 and again this year. If CAS has stated that my opponent should have been eligible to stand for election, then let us have a new election.

“In boxing, we should never be afraid of competition. I have seen for myself, countless times, the way that boxing can change young lives for the better and I have experienced this myself.

“Boxing gave me much as a youth. It greatly improved my future. Now I am at a point where I can give back to boxing and greatly improve our sport’s future and I am proud to do so.”

Yet even re-running the election has proved to be problematic, criticism of candidate Boris van der Vorst over proposals to stage the elections in Lausanne, whose stricter visa requirements may have meant some delegates could not attend.

In response, the challenger candidates wrote a letter which stated: “We kindly ask you to consider the fact that the Olympic future of our sport is on the line, as well as the Olympic dreams of boxers around the world. If we are serious about keeping boxing Olympic, we need to be close and open to the IOC as well as other major sports stakeholders.

"This means that the upcoming Congress should be held right in front of their eyes, in a country that is ranked among the world top 10 democracies with lowest corruption levels."

Needless to say, IBA chose to ignore the request and announced that it was staging the Extraordinary Congress in Yerevan in Armenia, with delegates voting against a re-run of the election and Kremlev elected unopposed.

To make matters worse, Kremlev then suspended the Ukrainian boxing federation, refusing to recognise Kyrylo Shevchenko as president of the Ukrainian federation but instead supported Volodymyr Prodyvus, an ally of Kremlev who left Ukraine after the Russian invasion.

The IBA then decided to allow athletes from Russia and Belarus to compete under their own flags, despite the continued invasion of Ukraine and against the recommendations of the IOC.

Van der Vorst expressed his ongoing concerns and said: ”The IOC continues to communicate its grave concerns, including those related to competition integrity, but they are met with indifference and even hostility from IBA.”

Learning: IBA’s relevance as a governing body depends on having the confidence of the IOC.

By continually ignoring the IOC’s guidance or concerns, with in-fighting and chaos surrounding its every decision, IBA is making little progress to regain confidence in its international sports governance.

President Kremlev’s ill-advised threats of a “backlash” are hardly likely to prompt a change of mind with personal ambition appearing to matter more than the sport’s long-term integrity.

ICC

Women’s sport is belatedly getting the exposure and backing it deserves with increased broadcasting coverage, new sponsors and investment, but it is taking some sports longer than others to catch up.

Earlier this year, England captain Heather Knight backed the introduction of women’s five-day Test matches and reserve days to compensate for weather delays and to cater for the growth of the game.

Knight’s side's last visit to Australia for the 2020 T20 World Cup was also impacted by rain and ended controversially with a semi-final washout ending their tournament due to a lack of contingency options.

She said: “I think reserve days in Ashes and World Cups would be very useful.

"Potentially a five-day Test match would make things better for everyone – the players, the viewers – and make sure you don't miss the contest that you want to see.

"In a hotly contested series that might be tight, you don't want the weather to be the main story, do you? I'd be open to looking at different things."

As the global governors of the game, the International Cricket Council (ICC) need to do all they can to support its forms, so it was a surprise when its Independent Chair, Greg Barclay, poured scorn on the idea.

Barclay said: "If you look at the way cricket is going, there is no doubt that white-ball is the way of the future. That is the game that is sought after by the fans, where the broadcasters are putting their resources, and what is driving the money. Therefore, the counties that are developing women's cricket will focus on that.

"In order to play Test cricket, you have to have the structures in place domestically, and they don't really exist. So I can't really see women's Test or long-form cricket evolving at any speed at all.

"That's not to say they can't choose to play Test cricket, but I don't really see that as part of the landscape moving forward to any real extent."

Needless to say, the criticism came quick and fast.

Australian women's team captain Meg Lanning believes that the game’s governance should be more ambitious to include women's red-ball matches in the near future.

She commented: "We understand not every country in women's cricket is at the point where Test cricket is the main focus, and hopefully that can continue to develop over time. What was a touch frustrating was that we want to be ambitious and see what's possible.

“There are some opportunities there, and while some of the other countries aren't in a position at the moment to do that, that's fine, but I don't think that means we shouldn't try and push for that in the future and see what happens.

"It's about being open to the possibilities and being ambitious with where we want to go with the game. Hopefully in 10 to 20 years, there are ten countries that are playing Test match cricket, but it's not about it all happening right at this moment.” 

Former Middlesex captain Isabelle Westbury was more scathing, tweeting: “Rly disappointing comments from ICC Chair Greg Barclay on women's cricket on @bbctms. Sounds like he's 10 yrs behind the game he's supposedly trying to run.”

Former Australian Test captain Raelee Thompson was vocal in her criticism: "To think that Mr Barclay just flatly refused to even consider women's Tests and that he didn't even acknowledge there was any history … I mean, we introduced overarm bowling … you have to know the backstory to do it justice and I'm afraid most of the men in charge don't have any idea.

"I see a need for a separate women's council to look after women's cricket … I think we'd still have to be part of the ICC, but that would be a much better fit, because the women understand the needs of the female players and actually value the history of what our forebears have done."

In a follow-up statement, the ICC expressed surprise that women's Tests are even a topic of debate. "To focus on the lack of growth in Test cricket is to ignore a huge section of the sport.

"The growth of women's cricket is one of the strategic priorities of the ICC strategy and the game has grown significantly in the 17 years since its integration with the ICC…

“Test cricket can be played by Members, but the ICC has chosen to focus its investment on the white ball game to accelerate the growth and engage broadcasters and commercial partners so we can achieve a long-term sustainable future for the game. This investment has been fantastic for the women's game."

The ICC Chief Executive's Committee comprises of 19 men and just one woman, Clare Connor, by way of her position as the chair of the women's committee, which speaks volumes about how it sees the women’s game.

Since the ICC took over women's cricket in 2005, only 20 women's Tests have been played, compared to the first 71 years of international women's cricket, when regular Test series were played.

Learning: As we have said many times before, it’s not the crisis that causes the most damage, it’s how you respond to it, and the ICC seemingly made no attempt to apologise or address the comments made by Barclay.

The women’s game has every right to want to grow to the same level of men’s cricket and build on the ambition and excitement the re-emergence that the female competition is creating.

The ICC gave the impression that women’s cricket is an inconvenient distraction rather than an equal or integral part of its vision and plans for the future.

Calls for a new International Women's Cricket Council (IWCC) will gather pace unless the ICC address their systemic shortcomings – and maybe a separate women’s governing body would be the best course of action for all concerned.

WNBA

In mid-February, Brittney Griner, possibly the greatest female basketball player of all time, was detained at Sheremetyevo airport on the outskirts of Moscow.

Griner, a star centre for the Phoenix Mercury, had just landed in Russia to play another season for UMMC Ekaterinburg in the Russian league, when she was arrested on drugs charges.

The uncertainty around her fate fuelled an outpouring of support and concern, and yet the muted response about her situation drew comparison to male players and exposes the longstanding gender inequality in professional sport.

If this was an NBA player of her calibre, it would be headlining not only every sports page but every news front page in the world.

Griner, a nine-year veteran of the league, is regarded as one of the best female athletes in the world, having won a college championship, WNBA and Euroleague titles and an Olympic gold medal.

Griner and roughly half of WNBA players compete overseas in the off-season to supplement domestic income, with players in Russia earning roughly five times more than they do in the US.

If the WNBA had taken a firmer stance on equal pay in the first instance, maybe Griner wouldn’t have had to travel halfway around the world to earn a salary in line with her talent.

The Russian Federal Customs Service said that a sniffer dog had led authorities to search the carry-on luggage of an American basketball player – who state-owned Russian news agency Tass identified as Griner – and that it had found vape cartridges containing hashish oil. Russian authorities then publicly confirmed her detention.

Griner’s WNBA team, the Phoenix Mercury, said in a statement: “We are aware of and are closely monitoring the situation with Brittney Griner in Russia. We remain in constant contact with her family, her representation, the WNBA and NBA. We love and support Brittney and at this time our main concern is her safety, physical and mental health, and her safe return home.”

The WNBA itself, said: “Brittney Griner has the WNBA’s full support and our main priority is her swift and safe return to the United States.”

And that was it.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said: “There's only so much I can say given the privacy considerations at this point. Whenever an American is detained anywhere in the world, we of course stand ready to provide every possible assistance, and that includes in Russia.”

While there is no indication that Griner's arrest was connected to the invasion of Ukraine, some have stressed that tense relations between the US and Russia may jeopardise her safe return.

But others believe the muted coverage and public support lays bare the clear inequalities faced by female athletes.

Griner later took part in a highly publicised trial in Russia which convicted her on drug charges and sentenced her to nine years in prison.

The WNBA then issued a short joint statement with the NBA which read: “Today’s verdict and sentencing is unjustified and unfortunate, but not unexpected and Brittney Griner remains wrongfully detained.

“The WNBA and NBA’s commitment to her safe return has not wavered and it is our hope that we are near the end of this process of finally bringing BG home to the United States.”

Her appeal was denied in October and she was taken to a penal colony in Russia’s Mordovia region, known for long working hours and brutal conditions.

“We are aware of reports of her location, and in frequent contact with Ms. Griner’s legal team,” a U.S. State Department spokesperson told Reuters. “However, the Russian Federation has still failed to provide any official notification for such a move of a U.S. citizen, which we strongly protest. The Embassy has continued to press for more information about her transfer and current location.”

There were discussions about a possible prisoner exchange between convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout in return for Griner which were agreed in mid-December and led to Griner being released.

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert issued at statement which said: “There has not been a day over the past ten months where we all haven’t had Brittney Griner on our minds and in our hearts and that has now turned into a collective wave of joy and relief knowing that she will soon be reunited with her family, the WNBA player community, and her friends.  

“BG has shown extraordinary courage and dignity in the face of enormous adversity.  The WNBA is grateful beyond measure to the Biden Administration, the Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, and all those who played a role in bringing BG home today.“

That statement was the first major comment from the WBNA for a while - and stood out only for its rarity.

Learning: There is a real failure in the lack of a co-ordinated show of support and solidarity, with the WNBA staying almost silent.

A few short sentences to the public certainly doesn’t serve the greatest female basketball player on the planet well, who is essentially being held as a prisoner of war.

One only needs to look towards the WTA standing up to China after tennis star Peng Shuai went missing last year after making allegations of sexual assault against a top Chinese government official, to see how a governing body can be proactive with their communications in such a crisis.

Nevertheless, the WNBA took a passive approach instead of a concerted campaign to keep Griner’s case in the public consciousness, an absence of consistent leadership when one of their star players needed it most.

JUVENTUS

La Vecchia Signoria, otherwise known as Juventus, are the most successful team in Italy, their support transcending traditional regional lines to extend across the country.

Backed by car maker FIAT and the Agnelli family, Juventus have won 35 Serie A titles as well at two Champions Leagues.

That power has brought with it controversy, with speculation about results enduring over the years.

But Juve faced their biggest crisis in 2006 with the Calciopoli scandal with transcripts of recorded telephone conversations implicating general managers Luciano Moggi and Antonio Giraudo in a scandal that shocked the world of football.

Conversations with several Italian football officials appeared intent on influencing referee appointments, seemingly to secure those who favoured Juve, while broadcasters and journalists were asked to portray Juve in a favourable light with threats of violence and blackmail used to intimidate.

After a long investigation, Juve’s punishment was extreme. Two first-place Serie A finishes were stripped from them – including the 2006 Serie A title, which was handed to Inter Milan, and the club also relegated to Serie B, Italy’s second division.

Moggi was banned from football for five years and the former president of the Italian federation, Franco Carraro, was also excluded for 4½ years for failing to stop this rot at the very heart of the game.

While some of the club’s star players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Patrick Vieira left the club, others such as Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon and Pavel Nedved remained and helped the club bounce back to the top flight at the first attempt.

They soon dominated Italian football again, winning the Serie A title nine times in a row from the 2011-2012 season and signing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo in a bid for European glory.

But trouble is brewing again, with accounting mismanagement putting Juventus in renewed turmoil.

Last year’s annual financial report included a note that the Italian market regulator, Consob, had opened an investigation into the club’s revenue from player trading.

Italian Football Federation commission Covisoc, established to monitor teams’ finances, raised concerns about perceived unrealistic player valuations being used to balance the accounts.

A statement from the Turin Public Prosecutor's Office said: "On the orders of this Public Prosecutor's Office, soldiers of the Guardia di Finanza have been carrying out local searches at the Turin and Milan offices of Juventus Football Club Spa.

“The financiers of the Turin Economic-Financial Police Unit, delegated to the investigations, were instructed to find documentation and other useful elements relating to the company financial statements approved in the years from 2019 to 2021, with reference to both the purchase and sale of rights to the sports performance of the players, and the regular formation of financial statements.

“Under consideration there are various transfer operations of professional players and the services rendered by some agents involved in the relative intermediaries.”

Instead of denying and deflecting, as had been the case with Calciopoli, Juventus released their own statement confirming that they would co-operate fully with prosecutors and Consob, adding that the club “believes to have acted in compliance with the laws and regulations governing the preparation of financial reports, in accordance with accounting principles and in line with the international practice in the football industry and market conditions.”

A Federal court acquitted all those under investigation, which appeared to be the end of the matter.

However, a second investigation by the public prosecutor’s office in Turin was also looking at recent Juventus accounts and used phone tapping of the club’s executives to build its case after the club had published a record annual loss of £220m for last season.

Prosecutors concluded their inquiries in October, filing accusations of false accounting, market manipulation and false financial statements.

In a summary of the directors' meeting in late November, buried in the report, was confirmation of the shock resignations of the entire Juventus board.

“The Board of Directors, considering the focus and relevance of the pending legal and technical-accounting issues, have deemed it in the best interest to recommend that Juventus adopt a new Board of Directors to deal with these issues.”

In a letter to Juventus staff, President Andrea Agnelli described the club's situation as "delicate.”

"When the team is not cohesive it becomes vulnerable and that can be fatal," he wrote.

“This is when you need to keep calm and contain damages ... Better to quit all together, giving the chance to a new team to turn the game around.”

Along with Agnelli, vice President and former star player Nedved departed while the club proposed accountant Gianluca Ferrero as the new chairman, marking the end of the long Agnelli reign.

Earlier this year La Liga complained about apparent financial fair play breaches against Juventus, as well as Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain and in the light of the Juve Board resignations, they issued a statement demanding “immediate sporting sanctions” to the Italian club.

The statement said: “Following the resignation of the Juventus board of directors late Monday, November 28, La Liga demands immediate sports sanctions be applied to the club.

“La Liga filed an official complaint against Juventus with UEFA in April 2022 reporting financial fair play breaches…Specifically, the complaint charges that Juventus accounted for transfers above fair value and unaccounted for employee expenses, resulting in a breach of UEFA break-even requirements. Additionally, the complaint charges that Juventus concealed the true wage bill of its players.

“This Monday, in the same statement announcing the resignation of its board of directors, Juventus acknowledges financial accounting irregularities, which are also aimed at misleading UEFA financial fair play authorities, among others.

“As part of its campaign to promote financially sustainable football in Europe, La Liga, continues to pursue these complaints against Juventus and demands immediate sporting sanctions to be applied on the club by the relevant authorities.”

UEFA, European football’s governing body, as also opened an investigation and stated: "The CFCB (Club Financial Control Body) First Chamber has today opened a formal investigation into Juventus for potential breaches of the Club Licensing and Financial Fair Play regulations."

For their part, Juventus maintains its innocence. It said the public prosecutors' allegations did not appear to be substantiated: “The accounting treatment adopted in the contested financial statements falls within those allowed by applicable accounting principles.

"Juventus FC remains convinced that it has always acted correctly and intends to assert its reasons and defend its corporate, economic and sporting interests in all forums."

What happens to Juventus from here is anyone’s guess.

To Juve’s credit, they have kept fans and media constantly updated with developments but whether the resignations foreshadow further dramatic punishments remains to be seen.

Learning: These are serious allegations for Juventus and they have done the right thing to communicate regularly as investigations have taken place.

However, a recent report from the Turin public prosecutor claims that Agnelli was “fully aware of the serious financial situation of the club and the need for ‘corrective manoeuvres’ – but those corrective actions in question were illegal and Agnelli was entirely aware of that.”

The report makes mention of criminal activity, bold words that, if true, underline the seriousness of the situation.

While fans, sponsors and partners look on helplessly, this great club is once again being dragged through the mud by executive mismanagement.

Time will tell how this plays out but the evidence is damning. Swift confessions would help end the uncertainty and allow the club to move on as it seeks to restore its troubled reputation once again.