We’re thrilled to announce the completion of the Governance Structure Review Project, a comprehensive review of British Wrestling’s governance structure. As announced last year, this project, led by Darren Bernstein, aimed to ensure our framework is robust, transparent, and empowers every member.
Key Findings from the Report
Strategic Themes:
- Structure: The project found that the current federated system, while having areas for improvement, should be maintained. This means that the Nations and Regions will continue to play a vital role in the governance of British Wrestling.
- Democracy & Representation: The report emphasised the importance of clear roles and responsibilities at each level of governance (National, Regional, and Club). It also highlighted the need for a strong democratic process that allows for effective representation of all members.
- Trust & Transparency: Building trust and fostering transparency within the organisation was identified as crucial. This includes improving communication and collaboration between different levels of governance.
Operational Focus:
- Governance: The report recommended several improvements to the governance structure, including refreshing the British Wrestling strategy, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and improving governance at the Nations and Regions level.
- Communication: A key focus was improving communication throughout the system. This includes developing a communication strategy, using data to track communication effectiveness, and promoting transparency in decision-making.
Behavioural Outcome:
- Apathy: The report identified apathy as a significant concern. This includes a lack of understanding of how the governance system works and a lack of clarity regarding how decisions are made. Addressing apathy requires improving communication, promoting fairness, and encouraging greater member involvement.
Impact:
- Dilution of effectiveness: The report concluded that the identified issues lead to a dilution of effectiveness for British Wrestling. By addressing the recommendations, the aim is to improve effectiveness at all levels of the organisation.
Read the Report
To delve deeper into the findings and recommendations, you can access both the executive summary and the full report below.
British Wrestling Board’s Commitment
The British Wrestling Board has accepted all recommendations from the Governance Project report. We are developing a detailed action plan to implement these recommendations over the next 18 months. This plan will focus on:
- Strengthening communication channels between British Wrestling, Nations and Regions, and clubs.
- Incentivising Nations and Regions to take on greater responsibility for the sport’s development.
- Promoting transparency and accountability at all levels of governance.
- Creating a culture of responsibility and ownership.
- Addressing apathy by improving communication and promoting fairness.
A Word of Thanks
We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the Governance Project, especially Darren Bernstein for his dedication and expertise.
Darren Bernstein, reflecting on the project, said:
“This project highlighted the passion and commitment within the British Wrestling community. I’m confident that the recommendations, once implemented, will lead to a stronger, more vibrant future for the sport.”
Our CEO, Craig Anthony, addressing concerns about communication and member involvement, shared this message:
“We understand the concerns raised about communication and member involvement in decision-making. We are committed to addressing these issues directly. Our action plan will focus on building a more inclusive and transparent governance structure where every member feels valued and heard.”
Ongoing Improvements
We will provide regular updates on the progress of implementing the Governance Project recommendations. We are confident these changes will lead to a stronger, more unified, and effective British Wrestling.
