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ESSA, IOC to safeguard integrity at Pyeongchang 2018

| By iGB Editorial Team
ESSA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have agreed a deal to work together to prevent manipulation at this year’s winter Olympic Games

ESSA and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have agreed a deal to work together to prevent manipulation at this year’s winter Olympic Games.

The agreement will build on an existing relationship between the parties, under which ESSA already contributes to the IOC Integrity Betting Intelligence System.

ESSA will make available one of its full-time monitoring operators to help ensure betting patterns related to Olympic events are monitored to detect and prevent potential risks.

The 2018 winter Olympic Games take place in Pyeongchang, South Korea, from February 9-25.

Friedrich Martens, head of the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions, said: “Preserving the integrity of the Games is of paramount importance for the IOC.

“In order to achieve this we need the experience, expertise and intelligence from all operators and stakeholders involved.

“ESSA, with which we have enjoyed a fruitful cooperation for years, will surely have a significant contribution thanks to its network and know-how.”

ESSA secretary general Khalid Ali added: “This collaboration between ESSA and the IOC demonstrates the depth of trust and respect that has been built between us over a number of years.

“It also highlights our shared ambition to drive corruption out of sport and regulated betting markets.”

Related article: ESSA reports 266 suspicious betting cases in 2017

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