The National Sports Tribunal: What Athletics Clubs and Centres Need to Know

We all know that managing complaints and making decisions are an important part of running a sporting organisation. Whether it is a decision about selection, eligibility, discipline, membership or another aspect of participation, those decisions can sometimes be challenged.

When a decision is made by a Club, Centre, Member Association or Australian Athletics, providing an opportunity for the decision to be reviewed or appealed is an important part of a fair and transparent decision-making process. An appeal process allows a decision to be reconsidered where there may be concerns about how the decision was made, whether the relevant rules or policies were correctly applied, or whether important information was overlooked.

Appeals are therefore an important part of a sporting organisation’s governance and integrity processes. They provide an opportunity to review a decision through an established process, while also giving sporting organisations an opportunity to demonstrate that their policies and procedures have been applied appropriately.

In Australia, the National Sports Tribunal (NST) forms part of this broader dispute-resolution framework. The NST is an independent specialist tribunal established by the Australian Government to resolve eligible sporting disputes and appeals.

The NST provides athletes, coaches, sporting organisations and other eligible participants with access to an independent process for resolving certain disputes. Depending on the circumstances, this can involve helping the parties reach an agreed resolution or making a formal and binding decision.

The NST can deal with a range of sporting matters, including selection and eligibility disputes, disciplinary matters, bullying, harassment and discrimination, and anti-doping rule violations.

For athletics administrators, understanding the role of the NST is particularly useful when considering how decisions can be challenged and what options may be available when a dispute cannot be resolved through the sport’s usual processes.

What is the NST?

• The NST is an independent tribunal specialising in the resolution of sporting disputes.
• It operates separately from Australian Athletics, Member Associations and Clubs.
• Its role is to provide an independent person or panel to help resolve eligible sporting disputes or hear appeals.
• The Tribunal offers several different ways of resolving disputes, ranging from facilitated discussions between the parties through to formal arbitration, where an independent Tribunal Member makes a binding decision.

What does the NST do?

The NST provides four main ways of resolving disputes. The option they use depends on the type of issue, and sometimes on the choices of the parties involved. Some of the options include:

• Arbitration: In arbitration, an impartial third party (the NST, comprised of one or more NST Members) hears evidence and decides how to resolve the dispute. Compared to other forms of ADR, arbitration provides a certain resolution. However, the resolution will be the decision of the Tribunal Member, rather than a resolution mutually agreed between the parties.
• Mediation: In mediation, the NST Member helps people settle their dispute by encouraging them to come up with their own solutions, focusing on their mutual interests. Mediation can lead to win–win solutions because participants have control over the outcome and are the only ones involved in the agreement. Whilst the Tribunal Member does not make a binding decision, any settlement agreed by the participants to the mediation will be documented in a Settlement Agreement, which is binding on them.
• Conciliation: Similar to mediation, but in conciliation, the NST Member takes a more directive and advisory role, often providing opinions as to the strengths and weaknesses of the participants’ positions, and offering advice regarding possible outcomes.  Like in mediation, conciliation can lead to win–win solutions because participants have control over the outcome. Any settlement agreed by the participants to the conciliation will be documented in a Settlement Agreement, which is binding on them.
• Case appraisal: Case appraisal is an advisory process in which the NST Member reviews the facts of the case, holds a short hearing (if required), provides a non-binding opinion on the facts and likely outcomes, and outlines how the parties can achieve these outcomes. Case appraisal is non-binding and can help parties to resolve disputes at an early stage.

Some disputes can only be resolved via a particular resolution method. A party may indicate which resolution method they would prefer, and the NST may also make suggestions to the parties during the Preliminary Conference.

A party can request case appraisal, mediation or conciliation for the following types of disputes:

• eligibility, selection, bullying, harassment, or discrimination disputes
• other disputes if the NST CEO approves in writing.

A party can use arbitration for the following types of disputes:

• eligibility, selection and disciplinary (including bullying, harassment, or discrimination) disputes
• anti-doping
• appeals
• other disputes if the NST CEO approves in writing.

What sorts of disputes can the NST hear?

The NST deals with a range of sporting disputes, including:

• Selection and eligibility disputes
• Disciplinary matters
• Bullying, harassment and discrimination
• Anti-doping rule violations
• Certain other disputes approved by the NST CEO.

In our sport, the NST are used as the hearing body for selection appeals. For example, in 2026 several athletes appealed decisions relating to non-nomination for the Commonwealth Games. Also, in March 2026, the NST concluded a several-month long appeals process by an Accredited Coach who was sanctioned by Australian Athletics. The coach appealed this sanction to the NST and went through an arbitration process to determine if the sanction was applied fairly and appropriately.

These examples demonstrate that the NST isn’t limited to disputes between athletes and sporting organisations. Depending on the circumstances and the applicable rules, eligible disputes can involve athletes, coaches, members, clubs, associations and national sporting organisations.

The NST publish many of their decisions on their website, available to view here: https://www.nationalsportstribunal.gov.au/decisions

What can’t the NST hear?

The NST does have limits. For example, it cannot deal with a dispute where a party is seeking an order for damages, essentially, financial compensation for loss or breach of contract. It also generally cannot review decisions made “in the field of play”, such as an official’s decision during competition.

What does this mean for your Club and Centre?

The work of the NST is closely connected to principles that are important to good club administration.

• Clear rules matter. Members should know what standards of behaviour apply and what happens when those standards are alleged to have been breached.
• Fair processes matter. People involved in a complaint or disciplinary matter should understand the process, have an appropriate opportunity to respond and receive a clear decision.
• Good records matter. Keep records of complaints, evidence, decisions, reasons and communications. If a decision is later reviewed or appealed, good records can be critical.
• Know your appeal pathways. Before making a decision, understand what review or appeal rights apply under your Club, Member Association and Australian Athletics.
• Treat challenges as part of a fair process. A person challenging a decision does not necessarily mean that the original decision was wrong or that the process has failed. An appropriate review or appeal process provides an opportunity for a decision to be tested and, where necessary, corrected.

A fair, transparent and well-documented process helps protect everyone involved, including the person raising the concern, the person responding to it, the club and the sport.

Key takeaway

The National Sports Tribunal is an independent specialist body that provides ways to resolve eligible sporting disputes and appeals without going to court. It can deal with matters including selection, eligibility, disciplinary issues, bullying, harassment, discrimination and anti-doping.

Understanding where the Tribunal fits within the sporting integrity system can help club administrators make better decisions, follow appropriate processes and ensure participants understand what options may be available to them.

Good integrity starts with fair and transparent decision-making. Clear policies, appropriate processes, good records and respectful decision-making help ensure that sporting decisions can be properly understood, reviewed and, where appropriate, challenged.