To understand the integrity threats within sports, Sport Integrity Australia works in close partnership with everyone who holds a piece to the puzzle – including athletes.

In this episode of On Side, join Tim Gavel as he chats to three of our Athlete Advisory Group (AAG) members - former Olympic rower Bronwen Downie, Paralympic triathlete Jonathan Goerlach and Blake Gaudry, a dual Olympic trampolinist.

AAG chair Bronwen Downie says she wants to be part of the solution that allows young people to stay in sport.

“There has to be conversations and we have to be able to hear those to understand what’s actually happening in sports training centres, on sports fields and so that’s where I think athlete voice is growing and it's really great to see that that is being supported through people like Sport Integrity Australia,” she says.

Paralympic triathlete Jonathan Goerlach praised the “different perspectives” of the group.

“The majority of the organisations and the athletes that are in sport in Australia and around the world don't have lived experience with disability and a lot of those policies and decisions that are made governing these sports don't always take into account people with disability because they don't have that lived experience.’

A former trampolinist, Blake Gaudry, too, hopes his role in the Athlete Advisory Group will advance the voice of athletes within the agency.

“Being on this committee, and being part of Sport Integrity Australia, I'm just keen to share those experiences and hopefully shape education and the message the right way so that in the future we can win the smart way, the safe way and, you know, the right way,” he says.

“They're building a framework around member protection, child safety, and I think if we keep moving in that direction, we'll sort of see a sport that’s a lot healthier, happier and athletes with the longevity that we want.”