AI ethics principles for sport

Aligning with Australia’s AI Ethics Principles, opens in a new tab and Voluntary AI Safety Standard, opens in a new tab, the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, have tailored these national principles to highlight risks and responsibilities most relevant to sport participants and organisations, ensuring that AI use strengthens rather than undermines trust and wellbeing. ^{1, 4, 5}

Fairness and Inclusivity

AI systems in sport must treat individuals and communities fairly, and impartially, avoiding bias or discrimination based on characteristics such as gender, age, disability, cultural background, or sexual orientation and consider the nuances that exist within population groups. The risk of algorithmic bias is especially high when AI models are trained on non-diverse or international datasets that do not reflect the diversity of the Australian population and can impact the quality, accuracy and diversity of the AI output.

Transparency and Explainability

Participants, and their parents or guardians where relevant, have the right to understand how AI-driven decisions, like team selection or injury risk predictions are made. AI systems must be explainable and interpretable to non-technical users, especially when used in sensitive or formative settings like youth sport, seeking informed consent, or pinnacle event selection.

Accountability and Oversight

AI systems should never be left to function without human monitoring and oversight. The final decisions, especially those affecting participant wellbeing, selection, or discipline, must always rest with accountable humans. Clear governance structures must define who is responsible for the decisions when AI tools are implemented and deployed.

Privacy and Security

AI in sport often requires access to sensitive data: biometrics, performance metrics, video footage, or even emotional state (via wearable sensors). Robust data governance frameworks are needed to protect privacy, gain informed consent (especially for children and young people), and ensure secure data handling and management.

Equitable Access

AI systems may not be equally available in all sporting contexts. Some high performance sports may have access to advanced AI technologies while other programs and community clubs may lack the funds for resources, infrastructure, or knowledge to acquire or adopt these tools responsibly. This creates an ethical divide and risks widening the digital gap across sport.