Global Partnerships – ‘Protecting Sports’
The United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) supports various global initiatives to protect the integrity of sports. As part of their recent efforts, they conduct regional workshops and in June 2023, the last in the series of workshops was held in Vienna.
The ICC Integrity Unit, together with FIFA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC), actively supported the two-day workshop, which focused on raising awareness about corruption risks in sport, facilitating the exchange of good practices, and strengthening cooperation. Participation included representatives of sports organisations and law enforcement from Bangladesh, Bhutan Cricket, Nepal, and Sri Lanka.
The workshop highlighted that manifestations of corruption in the context of sport include fraud, money laundering, abuse of authority, match-fixing (also referred to as competition manipulation) and illegal/unregulated betting, among others. Areas of safeguarding were also touched on – an area cricket is focusing efforts to ensure appropriate processes and understanding are in-place across all ICC Members.
Several steps were identified by the speakers to mitigate corruption risks in sports including the establishment of national legislation, and the forging of strong collaborations. Participants discussed the unique challenges posed by the cross-border nature of corruption, noting the need to bridge gaps and strengthen cooperation between law enforcement agencies, sports organisations, and criminal justice entities to counter corruption.
The discussions culminated in a series of recommendations aimed at strengthening the fight against corruption in sports and safeguarding participants. These recommendations include supporting more effective application of existing legislation, developing effective reporting mechanisms, establishing contact points for international cooperation between sports bodies, law enforcement agencies, and Anti-Corruption entities, and enhancing the understanding and awareness across all sports.
