Umbrella organisation representing 320 governing bodies launches new code of practice and action plan
Sports governing bodies are planning a new drive to tackle the effects of irregular and corrupt betting ahead of the Olympics, in an effort to grapple with an issue that has been called the biggest threat facing sport.
An umbrella group representing 320 governing bodies – including UK Athletics, the Football Association, and British Rowing – will on Tuesday launch a website and code of practice to encourage the introduction of tough new rules for competitors, establishing designated units to police their sport and educating athletes in how to avoid being corrupted by fixers.
A combination of factors – the rapid pace of technological change that has facilitated a global market, an illegal betting sector in Asia estimated to be worth $500bn (£320bn) by Interpol, and the rewards on offer for those tempted to cheat – have made the threat of match-fixing and betting corruption a huge issue for sports governing bodies. It has given rise to a string of high-profile incidents over the past three years in cricket, football, tennis, snooker and other sports – and raised fears that the London Olympics will be the next target.
The code of practice includes a six-step action plan aimed at:
• Ensuring that sports have adequate rules and regulations.
• A designated official to deal with the issue.
• A dedicated integrity unit.
• An extensive education programme.
• Competition contracts that clearly specify the obligations of athletes.
• Information-sharing agreements with bookmakers.
Last year the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president, Jacques Rogge, told the Guardian that betting-related corruption was perhaps the biggest threat facing the London Games. "It is a world problem and it is a very pernicious problem. With the introduction of broadband, you can bet worldwide," he said.
"The danger is that from illegal betting comes match-fixing and you see more and more attempts to manipulate matches. It is as dangerous as doping for the credibility of sport. It's only the beginning of a huge battle."
The British Olympic Association chairman, Lord Moynihan, earlier this year warned of a "potential scourge" of corrupt betting that could "seriously damage" the legacy of the Games and the integrity of the sport.
This year, for the first time, almost every minute of Olympic action across 26 sports will be broadcast live online and bookmakers will offer markets on every sport.
During the Games, daily meetings will bring together the UK betting watchdog, the Gambling Commission; specialists from the Metropolitan police's Operation Podium unit; the IOC and the Border Agency.
The Sports Betting Group, chaired by the Sport and Recreation Alliance chairman, Tim Lamb, was set up in 2010 in the wake of an independent government review headed by Rick Parry, former chief executive of Liverpool football club.
It has overseen the implementation of Parry's recommendations and worked to identify risks, support the efforts of governing bodies to set up their own integrity units and devise educational plans for their competitors.
Those sports facing the greatest threat – such as horse racing, football and cricket – now have their own well-resourced integrity units to try to address the problem. But there is an ongoing debate across all sports about how best to tackle the problem and how the fight should be resourced.
Outlining the scale of the problem, Interpol's secretary general, Ron Noble, said last year there was now a "dire need of effective collaborative responses by all relevant entities". Meanwhile, the IOC has also chaired a series of panels in an attempt to lead the debate.
"This work will help fill a gap in the knowledge and capabilities of some governing bodies and it's important that we address that gap quickly," said Lamb.
"The government is making good progress on this issue, even if we're not quite where we want to be yet. But we're working closely together to ensure that we do everything we can to protect the integrity of sport in the UK," he added.
"This isn't just about the Olympics. It's about getting our house in order for the years to come, too. People interested in corrupting athletes will always exist but the code and the tools will help governing bodies stay one step ahead of them."
The sports minister, Hugh Robertson, urged governing bodies to implement the new code of practice in full.
"Match-fixing and betting corruption pose a great threat to sporting integrity and constant vigilance must be maintained to ensure that sport is protected from this problem," he said.
The government has rushed through legislation to compel UK bookmakers to share information about suspect betting patterns with the IOC and other international sporting bodies.
However, legislation that would force offshore betting operators to share information with regulators has been delayed by an ongoing debate over the future of the horse-racing industry.
Opinions diverge on how great the threat to the Games is. Some betting experts point out that Olympic sports are not that popular on the huge illegal gambling markets in Asia, while any attempt to manipulate the market through legal operators is likely to be quickly picked up due to the relative lack of liquidity compared with more popular sports such as horse racing, cricket and football.
But others believe that the sheer volume of sport on show, the potential temptation for poorly paid athletes for whom simply being at the Games equates to success, and the possibility of betting on myriad outcomes within events mean the risks are far greater than at any previous Games.
Moynihan said that the IOC had responded to the "significance of the threat" by providing education and guidance to athletes and team members ahead of the Games. According to the contract that Britain's 550 competitors must sign, they agree not to place bets on any Olympic event and must not provide "assistance" to anyone seeking inside information on form or fitness of competitors. Read More
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