FINCIS promotes ethical sports activities by producing information and raising discussion. Through research, it is possible to identify various ethical phenomena that have a significant impact on sports. Providing research-based information increases the understanding of ethical phenomena and helps to create new sustainable operating models.
FINCIS produces and disseminates scientific information on ethical issues in sports to provide a basis for decision-making and public discussion. The purpose of research is both to identify existing issues and to anticipate future ethical phenomena. Research-based information helps improve the prevention of problems and strengthen an ethically sustainable sports culture.
FINCIS initiates, coordinates and commissions research and surveys to produce new information on ethical themes in sports. The selection of research topics is based on a number of factors, such as the topicality and societal relevance of the topics and their impact within sports. FINCIS also monitors the social debate and the information needs arising from it.
FINCIS’s role
FINCIS carries out extensive research projects to analyse the Finnish sports culture and related phenomena, their spreading and background. For example, in 2021–2022 FINCIS carried out a comprehensive research project together with sports federations, exploring athletes’ experiences in Finnish competitive sports. The study was carried out in co-operation with 50 sports organisations and received more than 2,000 responses from competitive athletes aged 16 or older. FINCIS also conducts studies on more limited topics or target groups. In 2018, FINCIS conducted the first survey of possible sexual and gender-based harassment within a certain sport.
FINCIS has its own publication series aimed to share and disseminate information on ethical themes in sports. The aim of the studies and reviews released in the publication series is to comprehensively analyse the latest research data from the perspective of sports and exercise. The purpose of the content based on multidisciplinary international and national studies is to increase the awareness of sports stakeholders even on sensitive subjects that may be considered somewhat taboo.