World Boxing, the new international federation established to ensure boxing “stays at the heart of the Olympic Movement,” has announced the appointment of Professor Jack Anderson as its first Ethics Chief.
Anderson has more than 25 years’ experience in legal practice and sports arbitration. He is currently the legal counsel in integrity regulation at Racing Victoria, where he is on extended leave (2022-2025) from Melbourne Law School, having served as its Professor and Director of Sports Law Studies since 2017.
As World Boxing’s Ethics Chief, Anderson will advise on issues and disagreements related to governance and operations; review policies and programmes to ensure they are consistent with World Boxing’s ethics and values; respond to complaints and enquiries of an ethical nature; bring forward issues of ethical importance to the Executive Board and Secretary General; and ensure World Boxing’s operational activities are ethical, fair, and transparent.
In this independent position, he will be the first point of contact for all issues and determine, in the first instance, if a complaint is required to be elevated to the approved World Boxing independent third-party organisation for further action or can be dealt with reasonably and fairly within the existing governance remit of the organisation. The full Terms of Reference for the role of World Boxing’s Ethics Chief can be viewed HERE.
Anderson was nominated for the role by an independent three-person panel and his appointment was ratified by the Executive Board of World Boxing. His initial appointment runs until the end of 2023 when he will have the opportunity to be re-appointed by the new Executive Board that will be elected at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in November 2023.
World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, said: “Strong governance, ethical practices and independent, third-party oversight are central to everything that World Boxing stands for as an international federation and the role of the Ethics Chief is a vital part of making sure that these philosophies are ingrained into the day-to-day operations of the organisation.
“Jack has an outstanding track record in sports legal practice and we have no doubt that he will play an important role in enabling World Boxing to deliver the high standards of governance, transparency and ethical practice that we believe all international federations should aspire to.”
Jack Anderson added: “I am impressed by World Boxing’s commitment to transparency, integrity and strong governance and look forward to working with them. A sport with clear and sound ethical values, and the courage to pursue those who do not respect such standards, best protects its athletes. It also promotes greater confidence in the image and integrity of that sport helping it reach new audiences and secure its future.”
Born in Ireland, Anderson lectured at the Queen’s University Belfast for 13 years before taking up the role of Professor and Director of Sports Law Studies at the University of Melbourne in 2017.
His primary research interest is the relationship between sport and the law. Professor Anderson has published widely in sports law including books such as The Legality of Boxing (Routledge, 2007) and, most recently, Sports Law: A Concise Introduction (Edward Elgar, 2023).
He is a member of the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) Integrity Unit; the International Tennis Federation’s (ITF) Ethics Commission; and a subject expert on the Asia Racing Federation’s Council on Anti-Illegal Betting and Related Financial Crime.
Formerly an arbitrator on the Court of Arbitration for Sport, he now sits on World Athletics’ Disciplinary Tribunal, Football Australia’s NDRC and the National Sports Tribunal of Australia.
