UEFA launches anti-match-fixing education programme
European football’s governing body unveils initiative to try and tackle the issue of match-fixing in the sport
UEFA has launched a new education programme in association with the University of Lausanne’s School of Criminal Justice called Fight the Fix (FTF) in an effort to combat match-fixing.
The new programme, which will be undertaken with support from national associations’ integrity officers, will provide participants with the skills needed to identify, investigate and prosecute cases of match-fixing.
There will be a focus on hands-on practice, with participants solving fictitious cases, following the full investigative process before a full court simulation of the sports arbitration process.
The first class took place at UEFA’s HQ in Nyon, Switzerland and focused on the detection of possible match-fixing.
The next session will take place online and examine intelligence, with the last session at the Italian FA’s home in Rome and will look into the final aspect of the process, which is prosecution.
This launch follows the latest match-fixing report from the IBIA, which revealed that there were 13 instances of suspicious football betting in Q3 2022, with four emanating from UEFA member states.
Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA president, said: “Match-fixing is one of the biggest threats to the integrity of the beautiful game, and it is UEFA’s duty to remain at the vanguard in the fight.
“Maintaining trust in the sport means increasing expertise and support for those involved in the fight at national and international levels,” Čeferin added.