International Conference
ENCOURAGE REPORTING TO FIGHT MANIPULATION OF SPORTS COMPETITIONS
The first international conference of the MotivAction project brought together 68 people in Warsaw from 10 countries and 31 people followed the online conference from 8 countries !
December 13, 2023.
Agenda
Welcome speech – Henryk Janus, Ministry of Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Poland
Professor Jacek Potulski, University of Gdansk
International interest for the Macolin Convention - Nicolas Saydé, Council of Europe
MotivAction, a key project, Corentin Segalen, ANJ
I. Build trust to motive action - Moderator: Natalia Chiriac, Moldovan NP.
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National Platforms contributions to build trust between stakeholders.
The example of the Polish NP, Henryk Janus, Ministry of Sport and Tourism. -
Taking better care of professional and elite athletes, Anna Semenova, EU Athletes
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The actions of the Polish NOC, Luiza Złotkowska, Polish NOC.
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The role of referees, Patrick Vajda, International Federation for Sports Officials (IFSO).
II. Facilitate reporting - Moderator: Pim Verschuuren, Rennes University.
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Education first! Pierre-Yves Portafaix, OCOG Paris 2024.
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Education strategy in Greece, Athanasios Strigas and Vasilis Minoudis, Greek NP.
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Reporting systems
> Signale! Amandine Carton, French National platform, Ministry of sports
> The IOC reporting tool, Evangelos Alexandrakis, IOC.
4. The legal aspects of reporting, prof. Jacek Potulski, University of Gdansk.
III. Target the criminals’ networks – Moderator: Costas Solomou, Cyprus NP.
1. The story of a descent into hell, Moses Swaibu, former Premier League Player.
2. I have been contacted to fix a match, Dan Added tennis player (ATP Double 88th, simple 311th).
3. Cooperation with police, Adam Gilarski, Polish Football Association.
4. Police investigation in match fixing, insp. Mariusz Łapiński, Regional Police HQ in Gorzów Wlkp.
5. Identified criminal networks in match fixing, Dieter Braekeveld, Interpol.
Concluding words, Corentin Segalen, ANJ, primary coordinator of the project
The main points of the Conference
🎯 Roundtable 1️⃣ - Building Trust in Sports :
↪ Collaboration is key : Establishing a national platform involving various stakeholders - from NOCs to athletes, referees, coaches, law enforcement, and more.
↪ Education & protection : Ensuring a resilient sports environment by prioritizing athlete and official safeguarding.
↪ Involvement matters : Active participation of sports organizations & player/official associations is crucial for success.
🎯Roundtable 2️⃣ - Facilitating Reports :
↪ Clear communication: Identifying reliable contacts to report concerns is essential.
↪ Unified efforts: National platforms require collaboration from NOCs, referees, athletes, coaches, and others.
↪ Clarity is crucial: Establishing clear procedures within each country is pivotal for effective reporting.
↪ Encouraging whistleblowing: Implementing secure tools and encouraging their use among platform members.
🎯Roundtable 3️⃣ - Combatting Criminal Manipulation:
↪ Shared objective: A continual mission to combat manipulation of sports competitions.
↪ Insights shared: Perspectives from individuals approached to fix matches highlighted the gravity of the issue.
↪ Investigative efforts: Showcased procedures within sports federations & law enforcement, often reliant on strategic tactics and, occasionally, luck.
↪ Interpol's role: Highlighted as pivotal in aiding these investigations.
↪ Collaboration mentioned: Acknowledgment of groups like MARS and police sources in the fight against sports-related crimes.
Summaries from round table moderators
ROUND TABLE 1 : "BUILDING TRUST TO MOTIVATE ACTION"
"We can summarize that the convergence of various elements including the cooperation within the national platforms, athletes and officials protection and education ensures a more resilient sporting environment that upholds integrity, and mitigates the risks posed by manipulation in sport".
Read more by clicking on the photo.
Natalia Chiriac, Sports Law Counsel in the Football Association of Moldova