FIFA enhances integrity protection efforts with new toolkit
FIFA, the global governing body for football, has launched a new and enhanced integrity toolkit as part of an ongoing effort to clamp down on the threat of match-fixing in the sport.
Developed by FIFA and its dedicated Integrity Department, the toolkit includes updated and new integrity resources that can be used and implemented by key stakeholders. FIFA said the toolkit has been designed to tackle manipulation in national and regional-level matches.
The toolkit includes a handbook for FIFA member associations and confederations, which the governing body said will serve as a practical guide on how to build or strengthen their own integrity initiatives.
The handbook outlines standard steps and best-practice measures to implement integrity initiatives on a day-to-day basis, while FIFA also published a series of topic-specific posters to support these initiatives.
FIFA also introduced a new Integrity e-Learning Tutorial, with the main aim of educating individuals directly involved in football about the threat of match manipulation. It sets out the applicable regulations that have been put in place by FIFA, as well as the various forms of integrity-related misconduct and how to report match-manipulation approaches or incidents.
“In line with FIFA’s continued commitment to safeguard the integrity of football around the world, it is crucial that we continue to develop new and innovative resources that our stakeholders can use to further strengthen football across all areas – both on and off the pitch,” FIFA’s deputy chief legal and compliance officer and director of integrity and institutional legal, Oliver Jaberg, said.
“As an important step in helping to protect the integrity of football competitions at national and regional level as well as to prevent match manipulation, FIFA is excited to have developed several new integrity resources and materials that provide member associations and confederations with specific assistance on best practice in football.
“The ultimate aim is to support and develop stronger integrity structures – as well as long-term, sustainable education and prevention programmes and promotional initiatives – that safeguard the integrity of football.”
Confirmation of the new toolkit comes after the Global Lottery Monitoring System, the sports betting integrity body for the lottery industry, last week revealed that it flagged 157 matches to its partner network for potentially suspicious activity in 2019, with football once again dominating.
The vast majority of these alerts were sent to football’s world and European governing bodies, FIFA and UEFA, with alerts generated for 98 matches.