Criteria for Recognition

22 Mar 2011

The following are the criteria for recognition and/or assistance by Sport Ireland:
 The sport meets the criteria for sport as outlined in the Sport Ireland Act 2015, which is adopted from the Council of Europe "Definition of Sport".
 The NGB is recognised as the single national governing body by its International Federation and/or World Federations for all aspects of the sport in Ireland, including its disciplines and events.
 The NGB has a leadership structure that is democratically elected by the membership.
 The NGB has a written constitution (or in the case of a Limited Company a Memorandum and Articles of Association), by-laws and objects that are voted on and adopted by the membership.
 The organisation has been established as a corporate entity in good standing under the Companies Act or other relevant legislation for at least three (3) years prior to the application for recognition.
 The NGB has independent unqualified audited financial statements for each of the last three (3) fiscal years.
 The NGB is committed to providing its members with technically and ethically sound and safe sport coaching programmes and content based on the Lifelong Involvement in Sport and Physical Activity (LISPA) framework. Please see Appendix C
 The NGB has a multi-year strategic plan, ratified by its Board. This plan should identify measureable outcomes across the full range of sport development and be based on the LISPA framework.

As the National Governing Body for its sport in Ireland, the NGB is responsible and accountable at the national level for providing its members with technically and ethically sound and safe sport programmes and services that can be accessed by all. This commitment is demonstrated through its policies, programmes, procedures and practices.
 The NGB must demonstrate its willingness to fully comply with the Sport Ireland Code of Ethics and Best Practice for Children's Sport in Ireland.
 The NGB has a formal policy or policies demonstrating commitment to equity and access, notably for women, persons with a disability and people as athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers and leaders.
 The NGB has a formal disciplinary policy for members and officials.
 The NGB must formally endorse the Sport Ireland Policy Against Doping in Sport and adopt the Sport Ireland Anti-Doping Rules.
 The NGB has an Internal Appeal process consistent with established principles of due process and natural justice and containing a provision that allows disputes to be referred to the alternate dispute resolution services of Just Sport Ireland.
 The promotion of the sport must be the core and primary objective of the organisation.
 The NGB must satisfy Sport Ireland that it has an established annual subscription income.
 Pending resources and facilities, the NGB must satisfy Sport Ireland that it has a wide geographical spread in terms of registered clubs.
 The NGB's Headquarters must be based in and operational from Ireland.

 Application of Alternative Criteria in the case of certain NGBs and other bodies. Where in the opinion of Sport Ireland an organisation meets several, but not all, of the above criteria, the organisation may be recognised as an NGB and/or as a body suitable for the provision of financial or other assistance where one of the following criteria is met:
a. The organisation's activities and responsibilities are in relation to the promotion, development and coordination of sport and the achievement of excellence in sport ;or
b. The organisation's activities are focused on developing strategies for increasing recreational participation in sports; or
c. Such recognition and/or assistance is consistent with written government policy"

Where in the opinion of Sport Ireland, there are two or more bodies currently organising the development and regulation of a sport or sports which, though different are similar in many respects, Sport Ireland may refuse to recognise and/or provide assistance to such individual bodies but may require them for the purposes of recognition as a National Governing Body of Sport to form an umbrella body for the governance of the sport generally.