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Like many people around the world, we enjoy sport. Millions play for leisure or competitively, hundreds of millions of people enjoy the spectacle of sport – the thrill of the unknown, the satisfaction of supporting a winning side, the disappointment of witnessing a loss, and the mental recovery knowing there will always be a next time.

Sport has grown to occupy a significant place in society in a cultural, economic and political sense. Yet there is also a dark side, tales of cheating and corruption are littered throughout the history of most sports. In recent decades, this has moved governments around the world to intervene as sporting bodies at the highest level have become embroiled in corruption.

But what is sport corruption? More broadly, what is wrongdoing in sport? This article reviews three perspectives – those of international sport governing bodies – including government authorities; academic analysis; and the general public through the proxy of media reporting. The research indicates that despite the focus on doping and match-fixing, racism in sport remains the number one issue in the public mind. Our analysis suggests a renewed focus at all levels of sport on countering racism should be prioritised. Catherine Ordway and Adam Masters are presenting some of their research findings that stem from their recent work into best practice approaches to minimising and responding to integrity/corruption related issues in the sporting context.

Dr Adam Masters is the Executive Director of the Transnational Research Institute on Corruption, and has been working with the TRIC for a decade. Dr Masters spent more than two decades working for the Australian government. He is a senior lecturer in criminology at the ANU Centre for Social Research and Methods. He has published on corruption prevention in various sectors - including sport, public values, political rhetoric and global public- private partnerships.

Dr Catherine Ordway is Assistant Professor with the University of Canberra and has had a long professional association with a range of sports; as a consultant, a Director; a Tribunal member, a mentor, a legal advisor, and as a researcher. Dr Ordway is also a sought-after media commentator and conference presenter on sports integrity issues. She is a Senior Fellow with The University of Melbourne Law School, an affiliated scholar with the Global Institute for Responsible Sport Organizations (GIRSO), and an Expert Consultant with SIGPA (Sports Integrity & Governance Partners) and EKS (Event Knowledge Services).