DOHA: The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) entered a partnership with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) yesterday on the sidelines of 13th UN Crime Congress at Qatar National Convention Centre to help strengthen cross-border investigations and prosecutions into match-fixing and manipulation of sports competitions.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani witnessed the signing of the deal between Yury Fedotov, Executive Director, UNODC, and Muhammed Hanzab, President, ICSS.
ICSS, an independent, not-for-profit organisation based in Doha, aims to improve security, safety and integrity throughout the world of sport.
Announced at a high-level meeting at the Congress exploring global data-sharing for effective investigations and prosecutions in match-fixing, the deal will see ICSS and UNODC work together and develop programmes to support fight against match-fixing and illegal betting and safeguarding major sport events against corruption.
Programmes to be developed include capacity-building training for key organisations from sport, government and law enforcement; organisation of sport integrity awareness seminars; establishing a task force to provide ad-hoc specialist advice, including legal assistance; and developing technical tools and resources in the area of sport integrity.
ICSS and UNODC will also begin work to develop a special training resource aligned with the UN Convention against Transnational Organised Crime (UNTOC) and the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to identify key themes related to prosecutions and investigations into match-fixing which can be implemented by criminal justice and law enforcement authorities.
Key areas to be explored by UNODC and ICSS comprise cooperation between national authorities and the private sector; effective investigation means; techniques, seizure and confiscation; lifting of bank secrecy; protection of whistle-blowers; mutual legal assistance; liability of legal persons; and enhancing and/or creating legislation around the manipulation of sports competitions, including match fixing across all sports.
Fedotov said: “The threat of organised crime and how it now uses match-fixing, corruption and illegal betting are issues that sport, law enforcement and government cannot shy away from. They are transnational problems that affect every level of society.
“I would encourage governments, law enforcement agencies, international sports organisations and the public and private sector to implement measures that will be developed as part of this partnership with ICSS.”
Hanzab said: “Match-fixing has a profound impact on sport and the wider society. It affects people from all walks of life across many countries. As a result, match-fixing is an issue that governments and sport cannot ignore any longer and must address it. This partnership is a crucial stepping stone in the fight against match-fixing and organised crime.”
The Peninsula
