
Statement from Basketball Queensland
Basketball Queensland (BQ) is aware of two separate incidents of misconduct and abuse within the basketball community in Queensland. We are shocked and disgusted that both incidents have occurred within Queensland Basketball.
The first instance BQ is aware of is that a Logan Basketball Official and Referee was charged with possessing child pornography on Friday, 11 July 2020. The official has since been dismissed from his position with Logan Basketball and has also been banned from any BQ event, venue, or interaction with any basketball association pending resolution of the Court process when the matter will be further reviewed.
The second instance that BQ is aware of is a referee who was abused as a child by a former referee supervisor at Townsville Basketball in 2002, has called for Townsville Basketball to join the National Redress Scheme. The National Redress Scheme was established to provide redress to people who experienced institutional child sexual abuse in response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
We are not aware of any applications for redress having been made under the National Redress Scheme related to Basketball Queensland or any member association. We have sought advice on the National Redress Scheme and are investing in the necessary resources to ensure full consideration of participation in the National Redress Scheme.
We would like to make it clear that any form of abuse within the sport is unacceptable, and as a State Sporting Organisation, we are committed to providing a safe environment for all members including children and support for anyone impacted by sexual misconduct while under our care or the care of our associations.
Our adopted and published Member Protection Policy and Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy abides by all regulatory requirements to ensure member safety and we will always assist our member associations and participants in dealing with such matters if we are made aware of them. We encourage anyone who has been a victim of child sexual abuse to come forward and report the matter to their association or directly to Basketball Queensland.