Bruce Collins QC to head Review Panel

Hockey Australia (HA) is pleased to announce that the independent review into the National Women’s High Performance Program will now be headed up by Bruce Collins QC, Gabrielle Trainor AO and Moya Dodd on behalf of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC).

The role of this review is to consider and make recommendations to the Board of HA on cultural and governance matters regarding the Program. The ASC will provide operational support to the panel members.

In early December 2020, the Board of HA was made aware of claims of a toxic culture and bullying in the Program. HA immediately announced that these claims would be reviewed independently and confidentially.

As previously announced, in addition to the independent review, a special complaint process has been established with Sport Integrity Australia to receive and act on complaints concerning conduct in the Program.

“It has always been Hockey Australia’s intention that this review be robust, transparent and independent,” said HA President Melanie Woosnam.

“The establishment of a review panel led by Bruce Collins QC makes it clear that these principles are fundamental to the Board.”

Bruce Collins said “Since their gold medal successes at past Olympic Games the Australian Hockeyroos have been the standard against which other sports programs have been measured.  Hockey Australia is determined to maintain the Hockeyroos’ standards in every respect and I am fortunate to have two outstanding Australians sitting together with me on this review.”

The Board of HA looks forward to receiving the report and any recommendations from the review panel in relation to the operations of the National Women’s High Performance Program.

Independent Review Panel

Chair: Bruce Collins QC
An international lawyer, a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the Australian National Sports Tribunal.  He has a long background in sport and in sports administration.  Bruce has practised extensively in commercial law and international commercial arbitration and has presided over numerous tribunals, Government Inquiries and appeared in Royal and other Commissions of Inquiry.

Gabrielle Trainor AO
An experienced non-executive whose experience covers more than 20 years on boards in the private and public sectors. She was a recipient of an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2017, for service to community in transport and infrastructure planning and design, and as a contributor to social welfare and sporting institutions.

Moya Dodd
A partner at Gilbert + Tobin Lawyers, and a former vice-captain of Australia’s national women’s football team, the Matildas. Moya served on Asian football’s governing body for 12 years (2007-2019). Moya is a member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, FIFA’s Player Status Committee, and the IOC Athlete’s Entourage Commission. She is Honorary President of Women in Sports Law, Chair of Common Goal, and serves on the board of Barefoot to Boots.