UEFA and IOC call for collaboration on match-fixing ahead of busy summer of sport

UEFA and International Olympic Committee (IOC) officials have highlighted the importance of cross-sport collaboration in the fight against match-fixing ahead of a packed schedule of sport this summer.

The IOC and UEFA organised a workshop this week at Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, for betting companies and international federations to gain a further insight into the duo’s work.

The meeting also allowed for discussions between federations and the gambling industry, with breakout sessions aimed at facilitating collaboration models. 

As part of the workshop, the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) and UEFA’s Anti-Match-Fixing Unit detailed their respective strategies and upcoming objectives.

With the Summer Olympics taking place in Paris between 26 July and 11 August and UEFA’s Euro 2024 tournament running from 14 June to 14 July, the governing bodies are on high alert to potential match-fixing.

Vincent Ven, UEFA head of anti-match-fixing, laid out what to expect from his division for the upcoming Euro 2024 tournament.

Ven said: “Sport alone cannot eradicate match-fixing. We must work together – raising awareness, sharing information, ensuring robust prevention and detection systems are in place – to protect sport and athletes.

“During the UEFA Euro 2024, our Germany-based staff, supported by the entire Anti-Match-Fixing Unit based in Nyon, will work hand in hand with betting integrity entities, betting operators and regulators, public authorities and the national associations.

“The main objective is to ensure robust 24/7 monitoring of the competition to complement our dedicated prevention and education programme for all participating athletes and officials.

“UEFA’s multi-stakeholder Anti-Match-Fixing Assessment Group will manage pre- and in-competition monitoring, ensuring that UEFA can immediately review and address any potential integrity threats to the tournament,” he added.

Friedrich Martens, head of the OM Unit PMC, stressed that working together was of paramount importance to tackle the issue.

Martens said: “Collaboration is essential. During the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris, we will work together with a series of betting operators, associations and major betting regulatory authorities to exchange relevant information about irregular betting patterns or suspicious betting activities detected that might imply competition manipulation.

“These stakeholders would also share with us information in relation to an accredited person having placed a bet on an Olympic event, which is strictly prohibited. All the information we receive is centralised in our Integrity Betting Intelligence System platform,” he added.