Sports administrators are responsible for managing personal data relating to members, teams, and other individuals on a daily basis. It is very important that these sports administrators understand what personal information they hold and are responsible for.
It is important for sports administrators to know the following about the data they have:
- What personal information does their organisation have?
- How was it obtained?
- Why was it originally gathered?
- How long is it being retained for?
- How secure is it?
- Who has access to the information?
There are different ways to collect data:
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On paper
If the organisation uses a paper-based system or forms to collect personal information, the sports administrator needs to understand how these records are managed and maintained.
The sports administrator needs to make sure that the member or person who has completed the form knows that the information will be stored and used.
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Electronic
If the organisation collects and maintains personal information in electronic format, it takes away the work the sports administrator would have put towards managing paper-based information. However, it is still important to manage this data.
With electronic records, only authorised personnel have access to the information. The sport’s administrators have the ability to create accounts for the personnel and need to monitor how they use it. They also have the ability to restrict someone’s access.
It is important that the sports administrators and other personnel that have access to this information don’t share their usernames as well as passwords with anyone.
Concerned about the data?
When the sports administrator has reviewed the data and is concerned that some members are not aware of their data being stored in addition to used, the sports administrator needs to either delete the data or contact the members to make them aware and ask for permission. If the members deny permission, the sports administrator needs to delete the data.
Stay up to date with new data privacy laws
In May 2018, the General Data Protection Regulation was brought into effect. The new regulations brought in new rights for people to access the information companies hold about them and obligations for better data management.
The new rights include that members have a right to:
- Know what type of personal information is being collected about them;
- Have knowledge of if their personal information is sold or disclosed as well as to whom;
- Say no to personal information being sold;
- Access their personal information;
- Equal service in addition price, even if they exercise their privacy
Before it was enforced, the previous data protection rules were created in 1990, before technology had changed the way we do business.
With so many laws around data privacy, it is important that sports administrators review how they are working with members, teams and other individuals’ data. Whether it is captured on paper or electronically, the data needs to be managed and monitored very strictly. Members also need to be able to access and change their data at any time.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
For more information about becoming a sports administrator, you should have a look at our Sports Administration Course. For more information, please follow this link.