ÖEHV appoints Timo Gless as Integrity Officer

“Integrity in sport is crucial to a safe and fair environment for all those involved. This makes cooperation and dialogue between the responsible bodies at national and international level, as well as the development of a strategy to counter potential incidents and to act correctly and at an early stage should an integrity case nevertheless arise, all the more important. The IIHF Integrity Officer Initiative is an important step for our sport of ice hockey. I am motivated to address these issues in Austrian ice hockey and look forward to the upcoming projects,” explains Timo Gless, ÖEHV Sports Coordinator and Integrity Officer.

In this role, the Integrity Officer serves as a point of contact for the IIHF with regard to the four pillars of anti-doping, betting and competition manipulation, abuse and harassment, and ethics, while also acting as a link to all relevant national bodies/government organisations dealing with integrity issues. In addition, the ÖEHV Integrity Officer acts as a point of contact internally within the ÖEHV, for the regional associations, clubs, players and parents.

ÖEHV cooperates with domestic organisations in all of the areas listed:

• Ministry of Sport (BMKÖS)
• Vienna Institute for International Dialogue and Cooperation (VIDC)
• Fairplay – Initiative for Diversity and Anti-Discrimination
• 100% Sport - Austrian Centre for Safe Sport
• Play Fair Code – Integrity Wins
• National Anti-Doping Agency Austria (NADA)

ÖEHV is represented in the following national VIDC working groups (funded by BMKÖS):

• Working Group on Sport & Human Rights
• Working Group on Gender & Sexual Diversity 

The Integrity Officer's duties include:

• Point of contact for all integrity cases/issues in Austria
• Point of contact for all integrity cases/issues at IIHF World Championships
• Coordinating and managing communication between players, clubs, MNAs and the IIHF on integrity matters
• Familiarity with the IIHF Integrity Book and other IIHF guidelines relating to the 4 pillars
• Monitoring sanctions imposed by the IIHF
• Informing the IIHF of national integrity cases (persons involved at international level)
• Reporting and documenting non-compliance
• Planning and organising awareness-raising and education programmes together with the relevant stakeholders (i.e. NADA, ÖOC, IIHF, police, etc.)
• Developing a national strategy for each pillar of integrity

Further information, downloads, contact details and much more on integrity in ice hockey and the four pillars of anti-doping, match and competition manipulation, abuse and harassment, and ethics will shortly be available on the ÖEHV website.