About us

We provide an effective, efficient, transparent and independent forum to resolve sporting disputes within Australia.

The National Sports Tribunal

The National Sports Tribunal (NST) hears and resolves national-level sporting disputes in Australia.

We offer a range of dispute resolution options – arbitration, mediation, conciliation and case appraisal – to help national level sporting bodies and their participants resolve disputes efficiently and affordably.

We have 3 divisions:

  • Anti-Doping Division – deals with breaches of the anti-doping rules of a sport
  • General Division – deals with other disputes under the rules of a sport (including, for example, disputes that might arise under a sport's Member Protection Policy)
  • Appeals Division – deals with appeals from the Anti-Doping or General Divisions, as well as appeals from decisions made by ‘in-house’ sport tribunals.

Dr Michelle Gallen is the CEO of the NST.

The NST is supported by the Deputy CEO and a Registry within the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care.

Our Tribunal Members have expertise and experience in a range of sporting, legal and medical fields.

See Who we are for more details.

Vision, mission and values

Our vision is to promote and protect the integrity and fairness of Australian sport as the national sporting community’s forum of choice for consistent resolution of disputes.

Our mission is to provide an effective, efficient, independent, transparent and specialist tribunal for the fair hearing and resolution of sporting disputes.

Our values are to:

  • remain independent
  • act with integrity and impartiality
  • deliver quality justice and outcomes
  • be accessible
  • respect individuals.

NST CEO’s Statement of Intent

The CEO of the NST, Dr Michelle Gallen, has provided the Minister for Sport, the Hon Anika Wells MP, with a Statement of Intent in response to the Minister’s Statement of Expectations.

How we were formed

The NST is a key element of the Government’s comprehensive sport integrity strategy – Safeguarding the Integrity of Sport – delivered in response to the 2018 Review of Australia’s Sports Integrity Arrangements (known as the Wood Review). It is a critical pillar of the National Sport Plan: Sport 2030

See more about our legislative framework

Evaluation of the NST Pilot

The NST was initially established as a two year pilot, and later extended for 12 months due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the sport sector. An independent evaluation of the pilot was conducted by Urbis Pty Ltd - Final Report of the Evaluation of the National Sports Tribunal pilot.  

The NST is now an ongoing statutory tribunal for sports dispute resolution in Australia.
 

Contact us

For more information, contact us