INTERPOL Integrity in Sport Bi-Weekly Bulletin - 9-22 January 2017
In this edition of the bi-weekly bulletin, we give the floor to Michael Herschman, CEO of the ICSS and we have some articles regarding match-fixing in Australia. Another case of a young athlete charged with match-fixing continues to prove that young players are very vulnerable to competition manipulation. The Tennis Integrity Unit is stepping up in their fight against match-fixing with smartphone apps and warnings to young and experienced athletes. Finally, we note significant developments in international cooperation on anti-doping policies in Kenya.
The Integrity in Sports Programme is still involved in many events around the world in the upcoming month to raise awareness on the severity of match-fixing, among other crimes in sports.
THE FLOOR TO...
Mr Michael Hershman, Group CEO at the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS)
2016 was a turbulent and tumultuous year for many in sport. Match-fixing, doping, and compliance and governance issues have affected organisations at all levels of the industry. As a result, never before has there been so much scrutiny in sport, never before has the public spotlight shone so brightly on integrity and governance, as well as the conduct of organisations and leaders within the sports industry.
On the field, many sports are unrecognisable compared to 20 years ago. Of it, interest and investments continue to increase, revenues are rising and, whilst the industry should be congratulated for the incredible progress made, plenty more can still be done to protect and safeguard sport from match-fixing and the many integrity challenges it now faces.
As an organisation created in 2010 to help safeguard sport, ICSS has brought together many international experts from all sectors of the sports industry. Last year, I joined the organisation as Group CEO to support its mission and to enhance its existing portfolio and offer to partners within sport safety, security and integrity. ICSS has made an active contribution to help fight match-fixing including the ICSS-UNODC Resource Guide on Good Practices in the Investigation of Match-Fixing (1), Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport (FITS) Football Study (2) and Sorbonne-ICSS Guiding Principles (3) which help advise policy and bring together expertise and key decision-makers. Along with our work in educating and warning numerous organisations, athletes and officials about match-fixing, ICSS has also worked alongside UNESCO to host a special meeting (4) which brought together over 100 experts to follow up on the recommendations and commitments adopted in the MINEPS V "Declaration of Berlin" on the manipulation of sports competitions. This collaborative approach and gathering of global expertise in one place lies at the very heart and ethos of ICSS. These efforts - as well as the many other positive examples of ongoing anti-match fixing initiatives currently taking place around the world – will be crucial in ensuring that sport in 2017 is properly equipped to prevent the manipulation of matches and that legislation is strong enough to empower law enforcement agencies at national and regional level to combat organised crime in sport.
Match-fixing is a truly global problem that directly affects many sports and countries around the world. Combatting it will require full support and giving greater resources to empower law enforcement, not to mention understanding and navigating a range of complex cultural, social, economic and political factors in different countries and regions. If trust is to be restored to sport in 2017 and we are to have real success in the fight against match-fixing then collective action, collaboration and empowering law enforcement with the right tools will be key.
I hope that 2017 will be a year where new partnerships are forged, greater expertise and experiences are shared and all sectors put aside their differences and come together for the collective good and integrity of sport.
(3) https://www.theicss.org/images/uploads/Sorbonne-ICSS_Report_Guiding_Principles_WEB.pdf?lbisphpreq=1
- Anti-Corruption Anti-Doping Athletics Australia Cricket Football Governance Integrity International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) International Olympic Committee (IOC) Kenya Match-Fixing Olympic Paralympic Regulation Romania Tennis Tennis Integrity Unit (TIU) World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
