Strengthening integrity, governance of sport ecosystems

KUCHING, 23 Sept: Sarawak committed to strengthening governance and integrity in sports ecosystems through the organisation of the Sarawak National Sports Integrity Conference (SNSIC) 2026 which will be held from 28-30 September at the Hikmah Exchange Event Centre (HEEC), here.

Sarawak's Minister of Youth, Sports and Entrepreneurship Development, Dato Sri Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah, said that integrity aspects in sports management are important to ensure the development of the sector goes on transparently, fairly and free from misconduct.

He said that sports are not only about athlete achievement on the field and in the arena, but also have a close relationship with economic development, tourism, infrastructure and community integration.

"Sarawak committed to show the world that besides being able to host well and ensuring athletes participate in a healthy competitive atmosphere, aspects of sports governance are also taken into consideration.

"This is to ensure that everything goes smoothly without any manipulation of competitions, substance abuse or misconduct, thus setting a new standard in sports management based on integrity and transparency", he said at the SNSIC 2026 press conference here today.

Abdul Karim said that SNSIC 2026 which is themed "Strengthening the System, Maintaining Spirituality: Strengthening Standards of Global Sports Integrity" is expected to gather between 400 and 500 delegates on the first day of the conference.

He said the conference also involved the involvement of agencies and related bodies, including the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Malaysian Anti-Doping Agency (ADAMAS), Malaysian Commission for Prevention of Corruption (CPRM), Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) as well as international sports organisations.

He said the technical workshop which will be held on September 29 and 30 is expected to be attended by about 100 participants comprising civil servants, law enforcement officials, authorities and sports association administrators.

"The bench will focus on improving skills related to public procurement, detection of illegal betting and the handling of cases of competition manipulation", he said.

Abdul Karim said that SNSIC 2026 is expected not only to be a platform for discussion, but also to serve as a stepping stone to cultural change in sports management by making integrity a practice.

"These efforts are essential to support the formation of athletes, organizations and societies that are more confident, equitable and resilient", he said.