Svenska Spel CEO backs Sweden joining the Macolin Convention
Convention attempts to combat match-fixing and corruption, with Patrik Hofbauer praising move as "very positive"
Svenska Spel president and CEO Patrik Hofbauer has praised Sweden as it prepares to sign the Macolin Convention.
The convention is an international agreement that was adopted by the Council of Europe in 2014 with the aim to combat match-fixing, corruption and manipulation in sport through the exchange of information between members and collaborative international cooperation. It officially came into effect from 1 September 2019.
Saturday saw the Swedish government, via minister for financial markets Niklas Wykman and minister for social affairs Jakob Forssmed, announce its plan to join as soon as possible, with the country being one of the EU countries to not yet have signed up to the convention.
Hofbauer welcomed the announcement, calling it a “very positive message” and a move Svenska Spel has been fighting for ever since the convention was adopted. The president had previously criticised the Swedish Gambling Authority’s (SGA) council against match-fixing, which was established in 2019, deeming it “ineffective” and functioning more like a “discussion club than a task force”.
He said: “The convention provides clear descriptions of the structures and commitments required by all parties (sports, gaming companies and authorities) to ensure the right structures and legal conditions for effective cooperation against corruption.”
Hofbauer added that it is vital for the global network to work together to end match-fixing and highlighted the importance for fans and athletes to be able to trust the sports they are involved in.
He said: “At Svenska Spel, we will continue to take our responsibility as the leading gaming company in the fight against match-fixing. However, no single actor can stop the manipulation of sports results. All good forces must work together if we are to have a chance of stopping the match-fixers.
“The goal must be a future in which every athlete and every spectator can trust that the game is honest and decided on the best performance. Accession to the Macolin Convention is an important step in protecting the integrity of sport for future generations,” he concluded.