Critical Incident Management in

Sport

Australian Sports Commission, 04074-55

Prepared by: Chris Hume, Senior Research Consultant, Clearinghouse for Sport, Australian
Sports Commission
Evaluation by: Catherine Ordway, Professor of Practice (Sport Management), La Trobe
University (January 2017)
Reviewed by network: Australian Sport Information Network (AUSPIN)
Last updated by: Chris Hume (January 2017)
Please refer to the Clearinghouse for Sport disclaimer page for more information concerning this content.

Introduction
Critical incidents in sporting situations are typically unpredictable events with the
potential to cause major injuries, loss of life, or other catastrophic consequences for
athletes, other sports personnel and/or their organisations.

The effective management of such significant occurrences should form part of an

organisation's broader risk management strategy as the management of risk is an
integral part of good management practice.

Key Messages
1. Increasingly, the sporting environment has been subjected to unpredictable
events, however, not all incidents are critical, nor are all critical incidents of the
same severity.
2. Risk is an element that all sporting organisations, no matter how big or small,
must understand.
3. Sporting organisations must understand the defined nature of risk and take
appropriate steps to manage it within their respective domains.

Background
The topic of Critical Incident Management in Sport cannot be fully understood
without first understanding the broader issue of risk management. Risk
Management is defined in the standard (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009 (PDF - 178 KB),
Standards Australia) as "coordinated activities to direct and control an organisation
with regard to risk", where risk is defined as the effect of uncertainty on
objectives. The standard notes that an effect is a deviation from what is expected
and can have a positive or negative outcome for an organisation.
The standard further notes objectives can have different aspects (such as financial,
health and safety, and environmental goals) and can apply at different levels (such
as strategic, organisation-wide, project, product and process).
When referring to risk, the standard notes it is characterized by reference to
potential events and consequences, or a combination of these. Risk is often
expressed in terms of a combination of the consequences of an event (including
changes in circumstances) and the associated likelihood of occurrence, the standard
notes.
The Australian Sport Commissions Sports Governance Principles clearly outline the
requirement for a sport organisations Board to take responsibility for risk
management practices;
Principle 3.4: That the board should have in place an effective risk management
strategy and process. This will require the board to take actions to identify key risks
facing the organisation and ensure that risk management strategies are developed
and actioned. The risk management system should comply with the Australian/New
Zealand Risk Management Standard AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009.

Risk Management Contexts in Sport

Management of risk within sport is no different to managing risk for any other
sector. The ISO risk management standard can be used to develop a risk
management framework and the principles and processes described in the standard
still apply. The challenge with performing risk management in sport is that there are
many risk contexts.

Deloitte's sports industry starting line-up: Trends expected to disrupt and

dominate 2017, Deloitte, (January 2017). Upping the game of sports industry
organisations requires commitmentnot just to fans and players, but also to
principles like integrity and innovation. Deloittes Sports practice takes aim at the
topics sports industry executives should highlight in their playbooks in 2017.
Sport Integrity Global Alliance 1 - Declaration of Core Principles on Sport
Integrity (PDF - 221 KB)
Typically, when risk management is referred to in the corporate or government
sectors, the focus is on corporate categories of risk for the individual organisation
common categories include; financial, reputation, health & safety, governance,
business process and systems, legal, and culture and there is a wide variety of
material and resources available on how to manage risk in these contexts. Sport
outcomes are, however, not typically delivered by a single organisation but
frequently by a collection of organisations. This creates a number of risk contexts
that may not be common in the corporate or government sectors.

Some of the common sport risk management contexts include;

Events and Major Events

Whether hosting a local sports tournament or a major international event, risk
management is an important part of event planning.

International & Inter-State Event Participation

Given the geography of Australia it is common for athletes and support staff to
travel to participate in an event. International events, in particular, have vastly
different risk profiles compared to participating in local events.

Sporting organisations should ensure they develop a Critical Incident Plan, prior
embarking on international & inter-state events.

Sport Integrity
Integrity in sport is largely associated with concepts of fair play, respect for the
game, sportsmanship, positive personal values of responsibility, inclusive practice
and honesty in adhering to rules. Sport Integrity includes topics such as; alcohol
sponsorship and advertising, drugs, child protection, ethical sponsorship and
advertising in sport, match-fixing and illegal sports betting, and tobacco
sponsorship and advertising.
Sport and Terrorism
The terrorist attack during the 1972 Munich Olympic Games signalled that sport
could be a target for violent political or social extremism. Since that time a number
of sporting events around the world have been targeted by terrorists and this has
led to a greatly heightened focus upon risk management and security planning.

For more information, please refer to the Sport and Terrorism portfolio.

Critical Incident Planning

Coverage of critical incidents is often intense and the immediate and subsequent
handling of the emergency can have major medical, psychological and legal flow-on
effects. Risk management and safety planning can identify and mitigate many
hazards in advance but it is still essential to have a well-designed critical incident
management strategy and plans.

Effective emergency management relies on advance planning to achieve

coordinated actions and designated responsibilities. Sport administrators, team
managers, coaches, athletes, spectators, medical support staff, facility and event
 managers, as well as police and the media may all be involved in the response to a
single critical incident. Critical incident planning will involves:

Establish clear roles for all personnel who will be part of the plan. Consider
aspects such as the availability of equipment and currency of certifications.
Develop documented procedures such as flow charts and check lists that are
readily available. Effectively communicate all aspects of emergency plans.
Communicate the plan using scheduled mock practice sessions and tools
such as wallet cards or a mobile phone app so that all individuals involved
understand and know the details of the plan.
Incorporate plans for the recovery and review of processes which follow the
immediate emergency.
Use templates to structure documented records of the incident for medical
and legal purposes.
Prevention Preparedness Response Recovery Framework (PPRR)
A common framework for managing emergency or critical incidents is the
'Prevention Preparedness Response Recovery' or PPRR Framework. An example
PPRR Framework is shown below.

Prevention
Issues Management - identifying, monitoring and resolving issues within the
internal and external environment before they develop into a crisis.
Risk Communication.
Reducing harm from hazard with a focus on how people perceive the risks.
Preparation
Crisis management planning - preparing for the worst-case scenario with
agreed roles, procedures, and responsibilities.
Crisis management team and testing - developing a cohesive management
team to deal with crisis across the organisation.
Testing the team and crisis plan to expose vulnerabilities.
Response
Communication principles - rapidly disseminating factual information to
internal and external stakeholders across multiple platforms.
Leadership - visible leadership built on empathy, trust and collaboration to
maintain stakeholder support.
Recovery
Learning - taking stock of what has happened and learning from the
experience.
Rebuilding to a stronger position, including improved relationships with
stakeholders and communication practices.
[Source: McLean, Hamish, 'Crisis and issues management', in Jane Johnston and
Mark Sheehan (eds.), Public Relations: Theory and Practice, 4th edition.; Crows
Nest: Allen & Unwin, (2014)].
As with risk management, critical incident management is more than just having a
documented plan. It needs to be embedded into the processes and culture of the
organisation and constantly reviewed and improved.
 Types of Critical Incidents
Crises or Critical Incidents can be classed into four types according to McLean,
Hamish , 'Crisis and issues management', in Jane Johnston and Mark Sheehan
(eds.), Public Relations: Theory and Practice, 4th edition.; Crows Nest: Allen &
Unwin, (2014).
1. Sudden - events that happen with little or no warning, such as athletes being
seriously injured or killed, explosions, fires, natural disasters or accidents.
2. Emerging - emerging crises occur when issues are poorly managed and
develop into crises over time.
3. Reputational - events that threaten the reputation of an organisation or
sport.
4. Bizarre or Unusual - events that come from unexpected circumstances and
can be often dismissed or ignored by organisations.

When is an incident critical?

Not all incidents are critical, nor are all critical incidents of the same severity. As a
result it is important an organisation understand how issues and incidents are to be
reported, who determines if they are critical, and what the response of the
organisation should be. Having this understood, in place, and documented prior to
an incident occurring is the ideal position for an organisation. Two techniques to
achieve this are having an issues management process and establishing critical
incident categories or triggers.

It is important that an organisation has a standard process of registering and

recording issues and incidents that occur from both a risk and critical incident
perspective. It could be as basic as a dedicated email address and a spreadsheet.
Capturing issues as they occur allows an organisation to take the necessary steps to
minimise any risk to the organisation and ensure an appropriate response.
Capturing issues allows for the categorisation of those issues, which can then be
used at a later point in time for reporting purposes. Issue management should be in
the wider context of an organisations risk management plan.

Once an issue or incident is logged, someone needs to be responsible for evaluating

the issue and determining if it is critical or not, and what action to take. Importantly
it needs to be remembered this could be at any time and any where. Critical
incident categories or triggers allow the responsible incident manager to quickly
determine if an incident is critical or not and what predefined steps need to be
undertaken for the particular incident, including any process used to determine if a
Critical Incident Management Team needs to be established or not.

A common approach is to pre-define categories or triggers that would classify an

issue or risk as critical. These should be customised to the sport and to the
organisation.

Below is an example set of Incident Categories or Triggers broken into three

categories;

Category 1
 Death, serious Injury, victim of a serious crime (rape, assault), act of
terrorism/kidnapping, security incident requiring evacuation, natural
disaster,financial impact potentially affecting solvency etc.
Category 2
Significant injury requiring hospitalisation, significant injury that may end an
athlete's career, witness to Category 1, serious security incident, serious financial
impact above $x, serious legal issue with serious reputational risk and serious
member protection issues.
Category 3
Significant injury that may end an athlete's tournament, alleged positive
drugs test, alleged perpetrator of crime, significant reputational risk, significant
financial impact above $x, serious process or systems failure, significant legal issue
and significant member protection issue.
[Source: 'Guide to Critical Incident Management', New South Wales Institute of Sport
(2011)].
It is important that any set of Incident Categories or Triggers are customised to suit
the sport and activities of the organisations involved.

Importance of Stakeholder Management

Sport by its very nature has a wide variety of stakeholders, they include athletes,
officials, administrators, fans, event organisers, sponsors, donors, government,
sport organisations, broadcasters, media, betting companies, venues, emergency
services, and ticketing companies.

It is useful during the critical incident management planning process to undertake a

Stakeholder Impact Analysis (SIA). An SIA identifies which stakeholders need to be
communicated with first, their positions on this issue, the communication methods
to be used, and the potential impact on the organisation.

Birkbeck Sport Business Centre Case Study Series Stakeholder Management

and Sport Facilities: A Case Study of the Emirates Stadium, (PDF - 561 KB), Geoff
Walters, Birkbeck, University of London, and Paul Kitchin, University of Ulster,
Volume 1, Number 2, (October 2009). This case study presents an analysis of how
Arsenal Football Club, a leading football club in England, manages different
stakeholders in the context of the Emirates Stadium.
Risk Management of Events, (PDF - 1.0 MB) Sport and Recreation New
Zealand. Every sport and recreational event involves physical risk. The type and
level depends on variables such as the activity, the location, the skill level of
participants, the timing and the number of spectators. Whatever your event, it is
essential you are prepared by managing these risks. Some level of physical risk is
implicit to sport and recreation. Many sports and recreational activities involve high-
speed impacts, extreme effort, exposure to height or depth, and environmental
factors such as the weather. Participants accept that risk is involved when
participating in these activities. At the same time, organisers have a responsibility
to take steps to support the safety of participants, spectators, paid staff, volunteers
and the general public.
 Crisis Communication
Communication both internally and externally is a key part of managing any critical
incident or crisis. This is especially true in todays connected world with social
media with the ability to distribute news and information globally almost
instantaneously.

McLean notes that crisis communication aims to reduce uncertainty, maintain the
support of stakeholders, protect the organisations reputation and work towards
rebuilding the organisation to a stronger position than it was in before the crisis.
A critical component in crisis communication is the timing of the organisation's
response. It is suggested that within the first hour of an incident occurring the
Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) should;

Quickly verify information from the crisis location.

Release a holding statement (avoid no comment at all costs).
Provide a timeframe for the next statement.
Develop key messages for priority stakeholders.
Having a pre-prepared list of priority stakeholders, with a corresponding
stakeholder impact analysis (SIA), and a template holding statement can
significantly assist in responding to a crisis.

The Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT)

A key part of the Critical Incident Management process is creating and identifying a
Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) or Crisis Management Team (CMT).
This team has an important role not just during the response to the critical incident,
but also during the preparation and recovery phases of a critical incident.

Developing Resiliency in an Emergency Response Team, Vivian

Marinelli, Athletics Business, (1 November 2016). There is another team for which
resiliency is even more critical the emergency response team (ERT). This team
spends most of the time on the sidelines and is only activated if and when
something goes wrong. Although always ready to respond to any type of crisis, the
reality is that for the majority of the time, ERT personnel are responding to minor
incidents. Yet when a disaster does occur, team members need to bring their A-
game and respond with the least negative impact on themselves and the
organization. Easier said than done!
In a typical corporate environment a CIMT would consist of the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) and the head of each department. In a sport context CIMT members
might also include people from outside the organisation, for example a NSO might
include a sport psychologist from a State Institute/Academy of Sport or from the
Australian Institute of Sport on their CIMT.

A typical CIMT for a sport organisation should include the following roles and subject
matter experts;
 Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Medical Specialist, Psychologist, Media &
Communications, Operations & Logistics and Legal.
In designing a CIMT, it is important the roles and responsibilities are defined and
documented in advance during the Preparation stage. It is good practice to ensure
you have a CIMT that can handle any critical incident.

Critical Incident Management Plan

A Critical Incident Management Plan can overcome three intensifiers of a critical
incident;

1. Lack of time.
2. Lack of factual information.
3. Lack of resources.
4. Intense media scrutiny and social media commentary.
A typical Critical Incident Management Plan includes the following;

Executive summary - an overview of the plan. Importantly, it must reinforce

the need for crisis awareness and effective response. It should be signed by the
CEO, giving it the stamp of approval at the highest level.
Crisis and plan definitions - define a crisis for the organisation, provide a
list of possible crises as examples. Defines terms, such as emergency and crisis,
that appear in the plan.
Document control - identify who is entitled to a copy, as the plan may
contain confidential information. Include the most recent revision date.
Currency and testing - define who is responsible for updating the plan and
when. State when and how the team and plan will be tested.
Notification - state the procedure for notifying the team of a crisis, who
activates the plan and how team members will contact each other.
Stakeholder mapping - identify key stakeholders grouped into categories.
Include name and contact information. List who in the team is responsible for
contacting which stakeholder and how.
Crisis management team members - list names, titles, responsibilities
and contact details of all team members.
Crisis war room - give location and alternative location, access information
and list of necessary resources.
Communication principles, channels and collateral information - list
agreed communication principles and objectives; resources and media contacts;
information technology support contacts; social media influencers; and social and
traditional media monitoring methods. Identify who authorises the release of
information and the media spokesperson. Give media centre location. Contain draft
media and stakeholder holding statement; media interview guide, corporate
website, Twitter and Facebook access details.
Other contact resources - list useful website addresses and contact details
for emergency agencies and local authorities.
Crisis recovery - list agreed principles for recovery and reputation
management and crisis team members specific recovery tasks.
 [Source: McLean, Hamish (2014), 'Crisis and issues management', in Jane Johnston
and Mark Sheehan (eds.), Public Relations: Theory and Practice, 4th edition.; Crows
Nest: Allen & Unwin].

Critical Incident Management Guidelines

Critical incident management (PDF - 66.0 KB), Ruth Anderson, Sports
Coach, vol. 29, no.1, (2006). Guidelines to planning a well-prepared response for the
management and recovery from a critical incident. Covers developing a plan,
preparing for travel, roles of the critical incident management team, recovery from
a critical incident. Includes a critical incident checklist covering pre-travel
arrangements, handling the critical incident and post-incident tasks.
The lessons learned (PDF - 28.0 KB), Professor Peter Fricker [wikipedia]
(former Australian Institute of Sport Director 2005-2011). Professor Peter Fricker
reviews the response to the critical incident involving the AIS Cycling team and
outlines some new measures incorporated into the AIS critical incident management
plan for teams travelling overseas. One is the need to have a Critical Incident
Management team on the ground in Australia to provide families with timely
information and support.
The emergency action plan (PDF - 35.8 KB), Sports Medicine
Australia. Officiating Australia vol. 3 no. 1, (July 2003). Lists all the items which
should be included in a sound, well-understood emergency plan which outlines the
roles and responsibilities in an emergency situation.

Medical emergencies
Medical emergency planning: a practical guide for clubs (PDF - 578
KB) , Sports Medicine Australia (2011). This resource from SmartPlay takes clubs
through a simple planning exercise to develop a straightforward, effective medical
emergency action sheet to guide clubs and volunteers. The action sheet, checklist
and template can be customised for individual sporting clubs.

Catastrophic events
When major events occur that threaten lives or public safety, such as the bomb
explosion at the site of the 2013 Boston Marathon, the sporting venue becomes a
crime scene. Law enforcement personnel will take control of the scene and
generally follow a four stage approach. Throughout this process the primary concern
is to provide medical treatment and evacuation of injured persons; ensure the
safety of persons at the site; gather evidence that may facilitate future criminal
prosecution, and; secure the site so that it does not become contaminated when
forensic tests are conducted and evidence collected.

1. First Stage Response The immediate response is to care for injured

persons and evacuate them from the scene. The law enforcement personnel at the
scene must assess the situation, identify emergency services required, and deploy
resources. Simultaneously those in control of the scene will look for safety concerns
and secure evidence. The paramount concern during the first stage response is for
 the safety of all concerned, both persons affected by the event and those providing
assistance.
2. Preliminary Scene Investigation Stage An incident commander will
take charge of the scene and control any press briefings and coordinate
investigators and emergency service personnel. A chain of custody for material
evidence is established and procedures are put in place to control the movement of
persons in/out of the established parameter. Investigators will conduct a second
safety audit of the scene and identify additional resources required. A list of victims
and witnesses is collated and individual accounts of the incident are documented.
3. Scene Documentation Stage As the law enforcement personnel gain
control of the scene they will begin to document everything they and persons on
the scene have seen or heard. The investigators will begin to compile a report of the
incident. At the same time, other investigators are taking photos of the scene and
gathering physical evidence. Investigators will also interview persons at the scene,
focusing on the timeline of events. The objective is to link evidence to potential
suspects, protect the integrity of any physical evidence, and minimise
contamination of evidence.
4. Reopening of the Scene Once the lead investigator has determined that
the investigation is complete, the scene may be reopened to other health and
safety agencies who will assess the safety at the scene (i.e. potential chemical
hazards, structural safety of buildings, etc.) and in stages, begin to repair or reopen
the site.
[Source: How the Boston Marathon Bombing Investigation Will Be Conducted,
McNeal G, Forbes, (15 April 2013)].
After Action Report for the Response to the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings,
Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency Massachusetts, (December 2014).
The After Action Report for the Response to the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombings
reflects the findings of an after action review of response and recovery activities of
public safety, public health, and medical personnel related to the April 15 bombings,
the care and support of those impacted by the events in the following days, and the
search and apprehension of the bombing suspects. The after action review was
coordinated by a multi-disciplinary, multi-jurisdictional project management team
consisting of key organizations involved in response activities, with the support of a
private sector, third-party vendor.
Footballer suffers heart attack on field in Fawkner, Chloe Booker, The Age,
(May 2015). A young suburban footballer, who died from a cardiac arrest during a
match in Melbourne's north, is being remembered as a "wonderful kid loved by all".
Campaign to stop soccer players dying by having defibrillators at all football
fields in NSW, Jane Hansen, The Daily Telegraph, (June 2016). It's an appalling
statistic that strikes at the heart of the otherwise idyllic Sydney suburban sporting
life the sudden death of soccer players has become disturbingly common. Last
year there were five deaths on football fields in Sydney, and there have been three
this year, with the season only two months in.
Spectator Risks at Sporting Events, J Winslow, A Goldstein,The Internet
Journal of Law, Healthcare and Ethics, Volume 4 Number 2 (2006). Spectator injuries
take place at sporting events as a result of incidents in the playing arena. Venues
assume little responsibility to ensure spectator safety based on the legal doctrine of
assumption of risk. This paper reviews the literature to define the risk to
spectators at baseball and hockey venues.
 For more information see the following portfolios:

Heat Illness in Sport and Exercise

Sports Concussion and Head Trauma
Sudden Cardiac Death in Sport

Case Study - Phillip Hughes Death

Phillip Hughes' death: Have attitudes to the bouncer changed? BBC Sport, (29
November 2016). 0.56 seconds. That's how long a cricketer will have to see, judge
and play a 90mph delivery aimed at their body.
NSW Coroner's Inquiry
No-one to blame for death, reveals inquest findings, BBC Sport, (4 November
2016). Nobody was to blame for the death of South Australia cricketer Phillip
Hughes in 2014, says the coroner who led the inquest into his death. Hughes died
from a brain haemorrhage, two days after being hit on the neck during a first-class
match in Sydney. New South Wales coroner Michael Barnes did, however, make
recommendations to make the sport safer.
Phillip Hughes inquest: No malicious intent in cricketer's death, coroner
finds, ABC news, (4 November 2016). Cricketer Phillip Hughes' death from a fatal
bouncer would not have been prevented even if he was wearing the most modern
protection available at the time, the NSW coroner has found.
The recommendations of the inquest included:

Cricket Australia (CA) is to review dangerous and unfair bowling laws to weed out
any inconsistencies in the interpretation of the rules.

CA is to identify a helmet neck protector that all batsmen must wear in first class
matches.

Cricket NSW is to review its policy governing daily medical briefings to ensure key
staff are aware of its purpose.

Umpire training is to be reviewed so they can ensure medical assistance is

summoned quickly and effectively.

Cricket Australia Independent Review

Cricket Australia chief James Sutherland releases findings into death of Phil
Hughes, (video), Cricket Australia, (11 May 2016). Sutherland releases findings from
an independent review into the death of Phil Hughes.
Ambulance delay had 'no impact' on Hughes death, Andrew Ramsay, Cricket
Australia, (10 May 2016). Mandatory helmets for batsmen, keepers and close
fielders key recommendation of independent review into Phillip Hughes death
Cricket Australia's independent review of the death of former Test opener Phillip
Hughes has recommended that all first-class cricketers be compelled to wear a
protective helmet that meets stringent British safety standards at all times when
facing fast or medium-pace bowling in matches and at training. The review,
undertaken by President of the Australian Bar Association and former Chairman of
the Victorian Bar Council David Curtain QC, also recommends that helmets become
mandatory for fielders positioned close to the batter (except slips fielders).
Cricket Australia has released the recommendations from the independent review
into the death of Phillip Hughes.

Conducted by Melbourne-based barrister Mr David Curtain QC, the review makes a

number of recommendations, some of which had already been implemented by
Cricket Australia during the 2015-16 season.

A former Chairman of the Victorian Bar Council and President of the Australian Bar
Association, Mr Curtains key findings in the 62-page report included:

- The treatment Phillip Hughes received was appropriate after being struck in the
neck by a ball.

- The now mandated British Standard helmet would have offered no protection
where he was struck.

- There is limited scientific evidence that current neck guards will prevent a similar
tragedy and they must be properly evaluated before they are mandated.
Evaluations will be ongoing.

- A defibrillator must be available at all Cricket Australia sanctioned competitions in

the unlikely event a player suffers from a heart condition.

Under Cricket Australias current concussion and head injury policy team medical
staff will continue to have sole discretion as to whether any player at national, state
or elite pathway level, who has been struck in the head, can continue in the game.

To support medical staff further, Cricket Australia has suggested a concussion

substitute be permissible for domestic cricket. It is understood that the ICC Cricket
Committee will consider this and related issues at their next meeting on 31 May. ICC
approval of the introduction of substitutes is required in order for four day matches
to retain their first class status.

Approval is also currently being sought from Cricket Australias Playing Conditions
Advisory Committee to allow a concussions substitute in all other domestic male
and female elite competitions.

Cricket Australia is also currently working with various parties to identify design,
performance and evaluation criteria for helmet neck guards.

Helmets that meet the most recent British Standard and provide the highest level of
protection were mandated last season for elite players and will now be compulsory
when facing medium and fast bowling in Cricket Australia sanctioned matches and
at training.
 Helmets must also be worn by wicket-keepers standing up to the stumps and
fielders within seven metres of the batter on strike, with the exception of any
fielding position behind square of the wicket on the off side.

Cricket Australia CEO James Sutherland thanked Mr Curtain for his thorough review
and endorsed its recommendations.

The global cricket community was deeply saddened by the tragic death of Phillip
Hughes and the great loss his family suffered, Mr Sutherland said.

We received Mr Curtains review last season and since that time we have been
considering his recommendations and discussing with relevant bodies as to how we
best make changes necessary to prevent an accident of this nature happening
again.

While there will always be a small risk we believe that the measures we have
already taken and will enact following this review will reduce that risk even further.

Cricket Australia will also cooperate fully with the coronial inquest into Phillip
Hughes death, likely to be scheduled to take place in Sydney in October this year.

We have had ongoing open dialogue with the New South Wales Crown Solicitor and
have indicated that we will be as cooperative as possible with any coronial inquest,
Mr Sutherland said.

Never again do we want to see a tragedy of that nature happen on a cricket field
and we have shared the findings of this review with the coroner, concluded Mr
Sutherland.

The full review can be viewed here.

The Development of a Test methodology for the determination of cricket
batting helmet performance when subjected to ballistic impacts, Halkon, BJ, Velani,
N and Harland AR, International Research Council on the Biomechanics of Injury,
(September 2013)
Batting head injury in professional cricket: a systematic video analysis of
helmet safety characteristics, Craig Ranson, Nicholas Peirce, Mark Young, British
Journal of Sports Medicine, (16 February 2016). Batters in cricket are continuing to
sustain head and facial injuries despite wearing protective helmets. To gain an
understanding of the types and mechanisms of head injuries sustained by batters
wearing a helmet. Injury type, location and mechanism were categorised via
analysis of 35 videos of National or International cricketers sustaining a head injury
while batting.

Use of Social Media in Emergency Management

An important consideration when planning for or facing a critical incident is the role
that social media will likely play, potentially both positively and negatively. Recent
disaster events, in Australia and internationally, have demonstrated the importance
 of social media, not only in delivering vital information to the community during
emergency events, but also in strengthening relationships between emergency
services and Australian communities.

Social Media's Role in Crisis Management, Vivian Marinelli, Athletic Business,

(February 2016). It is difficult these days to find someone not on some form of social
media especially during sports and entertainment events. The 2014 World Cup
final holds the record for the most tweets per second with 9,667. The game took
more than three hours to complete, accumulating more than 100 million tweets.
There is also an increasing awareness of the benefits of crowd sourcing, for
example, to gain critical intelligence on emergencies and natural disasters. The
Australian Government Attorney-General's Department's website contains a number
of resources related to the use of social media and communication.
The Good, Bad, and In-Between of Social Media In Crisis Situations, Lauren
Zoltick, ISL, (October 2014). For better or for worse, social media has dramatically
impacted the way we communicate and keep in touch with each other and the
world at large. Also for better or for worse, it has given us the means to
communicate more and often more effectively in crisis situations.
The Use of Social Media in Risk and Crisis Communication, Wendling, C., J.
Radisch and S. Jacobzone, OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, No. 24,
OECD Publishing, (2013). This report highlights the changing landscape of risk and
crisis communications and in particular how social media can be a beneficial tool,
but also create challenges for crisis managers. It explores different practices of risk
and crisis communications experts related to the use of social media and proposes a
framework for monitoring the development of practices among countries in the use
of social media for risk and crisis communications. The three step process spans
passive to dynamic use of social media, and provides governments a self-
assessment tool to monitor and track progress in the uptake of effective use of
social media by emergency services or crisis managers.
For more information see the Social Media & Sport portfolio

Professional Bodies
Risk Management Institution of Australasia (RMIA)
Risk Management Institution of Australasia (RMIA) is the largest professional
association and peak body for risk management professionals in the Asia Pacific
region.
Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD)

Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) is Australia's pre-eminent

organisation for directors, dedicated to making a difference in the quality of
governance and directorship. AICD focus on risk management from a Directors
perspective and cover risk management as a topic in a number of their courses.
They also publish numerous articles on risk management available to members via
the AICD Director Resource Centre.

Risk Management Resources

Australian Sports Commission
Managing Risks, including child protection legislation, anti-harassment, codes
of behaviour and occupational health and safety
 Sports Governance Principles and Resources, Clearinghouse for Sport
Play by the Rules
Managing Risks. This section provides information on managing risks for:

Administrators
Coaches
Officials
Players
Parents
ComCover
Better Practice Guide - Risk Management (PDF - 1.0 MB). Provides advice
on the key principles and concepts of risk management to be considered when
developing and implementing an enterprise wide approach to the management of
risk.
Office of Sport Sport and Recreation (New South Wales)
Awareness of a clubs legal obligations and commitment to quality and safety are
critical in todays sporting environment. If you serve on a board or committee, risk
management is one of your key responsibilities.
Office for Recreation & Sport (South Australia)
The Risk Management Resource (PDF - 345 KB). An introductory guide to the risk
management process, legal concepts, issues to be aware of and a collection of
resources to assist organisations with managing risk.
Sport and Recreation (Tasmania)
Sport and Recreation Tasmania information sheets provide a resource designed to
assist sport and recreation organisations (SROs) to improve their understanding and
application of risk management.
Department of Sport and Recreation (Western Australia)
Organisations must accept that it is inevitable that they will encounter risk, the aim
of risk management is for the board and the Chief Executive Officer to ensure that
the risks faced do not result in significant loss or harm to the organisation.

National Sporting Organisation Resources and Policies

AFL
AFL provides a range of risk management resources to allow football clubs to
undertake a structured approach to risk management so they can demonstrate to
insurers and others that they have taken the precautionary measures to minimise
risk.
Australian Rugby Union
Gow-Gates and the ARU have developed risk management resources tailored to
rugby bodies to assist in providing a safe environment for all participants.
Cricket Australia
Risk Management is a process of systematically identifying risks and eliminating or
reducing the likelihood of consequences. The development and implementation of a
risk management plan that is compliant with cricket laws and policies is
recommended.
Football Federation Australia
The FFA Clubs Risk Management Plan 'Safe Football', developed by Gow-Gates in
conjunction with FFA and the Member Federations, provides a uniform approach to
 assist the Football Community in assessing and managing the risks associated with
the management of football clubs.
Golf
Golf Australia - Risk Management & Safety (PDF - 1.1 MB)
National Rugby League
Electrical Storm Safety Guidelines (PDF - 99 KB), National Rugby League (2013).
A senior official within the Rugby League organisation is designated as a Weather
Watcher and is responsible for recognising danger and activating the lightning
protection plan. These guidelines provide information regarding the criteria for the
suspension and resumption of activities, dissemination of information, and crowd
strategies.
Surf Life Saving
Surf Life Saving Australia Risk Management (PDF - 1.0 MB)
Touch Football
Risk Management. AMRI Affiliate Management Tools. The Affiliate Management
Resource Initiative (AMRI) is an initiative created by Touch Football Australia (TFA).
The program contains a wide range of resources to assist the affiliate to improve
towards implementing best practice. The program is about improvement and
provides an easy to use framework that will help to make continuous improvement
a culture not a chore.

International Practice
Canada
TrueSport Canada - Putting in Place a Risk Management Strategy (PDF - 1.0
MB)
England
Sport England - Risk management toolkit and planning
Sport and Recreation Alliance Risk management planning for organisations
New Zealand
Sport NZs Risk Management toolkit guides you through a five-step risk
management process for managing organisational risk. The toolkit is designed to
address risk across all areas of your operation. The toolkit is based on Standards
New Zealand's Guidelines for Risk Management in Sport and Recreation SNZ HB
8669:2004

Examples of good practice

Australian Institute of Sport (AIS)
AIS Critical Incident Plan (2011) (PDF - 161 KB). This plan contains a
checklist for those making travel arrangements for teams, an action checklist for
AIS management staff coordinating the response and a post-incident action
checklist for managing long-term consequences and reviewing the response.
New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS)
NSWIS Guide to Critical Incident Management (PDF - 762 KB). The New
South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) has developed this document to assist
coaches, athletes and staff best handle critical incidents that occur while travelling
to national or international competitions. It is recommended that all travelling
parties make themselves aware of how the NSWIS can assist in the event of a
 critical incident. The guide groups critical incidents into categories with short
instructions regarding who to contact and suggested courses of action which could
be taken. It includes a report sheet including impact matrix and a critical incident
flowchart with response protocols for the first 48 hours.
Western Australia Department of Education and Training
Emergency and Critical Incident Management (2009). This comprehensive
site can guide all stages of critical incident planning and procedures. Its school-
based approach and template could be adapted for sporting organisations, clubs
and teams. The Emergency and Critical Incident Management Plan
Template contains an Appendix with practical guidelines for important
documentation and communication : Emergency and Critical Incident Diary - Parent
Re-unification Procedures - Staff Briefing (Sample Agenda) - Psychological First Aid -
Informing Parents of an Emergency or Critical Incident - Sample Leaflets for Parents
- Operational Debriefing. [Subject to copyright; for permission to re-use (copy,
communicate, adapt or publish) please email customer service centre]

Further resources and reading

References
'Crisis and issues management', McLean, Hamish, Public Relations: Theory
and Practice, 4th edn, Allen & Unwin, (2013)
'Effective crisis communication: Moving from crisis to opportunity', Ulmer,
Robert R, Sellnow, Timothy L; and Seeger, Matthew W, 2nd edition Sage
Publications, (2011)
'Guide to Critical Incident Management' [online text], New South Wales
Institute of Sport (2011)
Professional sport, work health and safety law and reluctant regulators,
Windholz, E. Bond University ePublications (2015). Workplace health and safety
(WHS) regulators have been reluctant to investigate professional sports for
breaches of WHS law. Using the Essendon Football Club supplements saga as its
primary case study, this article explores this reluctance. It concludes that while
aspects of the sporting endeavour justify a pragmatic application of WHS laws,
professional sport should not be above and beyond WHS laws and regulators. The
reasoning behind WHS regulators decisions not to investigate potential WHS
breaches in professional sport should be more transparent.
Team-Based Professional Sporting Competitions and Work, Windholz, E.
(2015), Health and Safety Law: Defining the Boundaries of Responsibility. Health and
Safety Law: Defining the Boundaries of Responsibility.
Resources

Be prepared (PDF - 185 KB), Tracey Lloyd, Australian Leisure Management,

(March/April 2011). Disaster planning for clubs focuses on property and equipment
protection and covers topics such as insurance and using social media such as
Facebook and Twitter as a communication strategy.
Critical Incident Response in Sport (PDF - 161 KB), J Heil and AB
Athey, Association for Applied Sport Psychology
Emergency procedures example (PDF - 986 KB). This Gymnastics Australia
Club 10 document is a model of a complete emergency procedures guide developed
by a particular club.
 Our Community - Putting in Place a Risk Management Strategy
Sports Community - Risk Identification and Management
Sports safety (PDF - 3.0 MB), R. Layton in the Australian Sports.
Commission, Intermediate coaching : general principles manual, p.49-60 (2008)
Unexpected Disasters at Organized Sporting Events: Considerations in
Preparation and Response, Woodhead, T et al., Current Sports Medicine
Reports (Lippincott Williams & Wilkins) , Vol. 14 Issue 3, (May/June 2015). The article
discusses various considerations in the preparation and response for unexpected
disasters at organized sporting events. Topics discussed include general disaster
preparedness, supplies in preparation for unexpected disasters at organized
sporting events, and special considerations for specific threats like natural disasters.
Standards Australia Resources
Risk management - Principles and guidelines (AS/NZS ISO 31000:2009),
Standards Australia (2009)
Guidelines for managing risk in sport and recreation organizations (HB
246:2010), Standards Australia (2010)
Communicating and consulting about risk (HB 327:2010), Standards Australia
(2010)
Risk management guidelines - Companion to AS/NZS ISO
31000:2009 (SA/SNZ HB 436:2013), Standards Australia (2013)
Websites
The International Centre for Sport Security maintains a collection of
documents related to sport safety, security, integrity and legacy issues which it is
hoped will be of use to practitioners and academics involved in the field of sports
and major sporting event organisation.

This knowledge portal provides access to reports commissioned and published by

the ICSS as well as to relevant reports by third-parties who have granted permission
for the ICSS to store and provide access to their reports.

The Knowledge Portal will be available shortly.

Boston Marathon Bombings, April 2013, [Wikipedia]
Centennial Olympic Park bombing, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, [Wikipedia]
Munich massacre, 1972 Munich Olympic Games, [Wikipedia]