Member Story : Andrew Murray

I have been involved in sports governance for more than 20 years through a range of volunteering and professional roles. At the time of starting the Certificate in Sports Governance, I was the Chief Operating Officer of a governing body with responsibility for governance within the organisation and across 90 affiliated clubs. As a volunteer, I also spent 18 years on three different governing body boards, which gave me a great insight into the different approaches to sports governance.

I was motivated by a desire to strengthen my understanding of what good governance looks like in a sporting context. Sport has its own pressures, and often not enough time is spent establishing good governance, which results in more pain at a later point. I wanted a clearer, more consistent framework to support my role and ensure decisions were compliant, ethical, transparent and aligned with best practice. It had also been a few years since I completed any formal qualifications, so this was a great opportunity to benchmark my own experience and add further learning.

A practical learning experience

Overall, the experience was very positive. The programme was well structured, clearly delivered and used real-world sporting examples, which made the learning feel relevant and applicable. The timetable and deadlines were clear from the start, making it easier to fit studying around work and personal commitments.

I was particularly interested in learning more about safeguarding, board governance, risk management and ethics, as these are all areas relating to my role and where I have seen examples of things going wrong in the past. The flexible learning format made it possible to balance study alongside professional and voluntary commitments, while tutors and fellow students were welcoming and supportive throughout.

Applying governance in practice

The qualification has helped deepen my understanding of governance across the broader sport sector in the UK. Governance is much more than compliance. It is a framework for leadership, culture, accountability, sustainability and safety within sport.

It has strengthened how I approach oversight, accountability and decision-making by giving me greater confidence to provide clear, definitive guidance to others. This is particularly valuable when supporting colleagues who are reviewing and strengthening their governance arrangements or managing conflicts of interest. It has also enabled me to challenge the status quo more constructively, particularly where decision-making structures or long-standing policies have not been revisited for some time and need updating to ensure they remain robust, transparent and aligned with current best practice.

Advice for others considering the qualification

Completing the Certificate has strengthened my confidence as a governance professional in sport. It has helped me build on my practical experience with a stronger theoretical foundation and develop a deeper understanding of the risks associated with poor governance.

The most valuable takeaway has been a much clearer understanding of how governance shapes culture, protects people and underpins long-term success in sport. Good governance shouldn't be optional; it is fundamental to the health and sustainability of sport. When governance is weak, it can undermine trust, damage the reputation of an organisation and, most importantly, have a very real and lasting negative impact on the people involved.