FIFA and UNODC Against Match-Fixing in Football
For the first time, FIFA and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have conducted a joint international training program to support FIFA's 211 member associations in the fight against match-fixing in football.
According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, match-fixing is a very real issue that threatens the integrity and credibility of football in many countries. / Picture: © BMI Bundesministerium für Inneres / Gerd Pachauer
The FIFA Global Integrity Program, which FIFA launched last year in partnership with the UNODC, focuses on education and capacity building among FIFA's 211 member associations, as well as the training and development of football integrity officers.
According to the joint press release from Fifa and UNODC, since the launch in March 2021, more than 400 representatives from authorities and football associations have participated in a total of 29 seminars dedicated to various topics such as designing integrity initiatives and reporting systems, protecting competitions, inter-stakeholder cooperation and investigations.
As part of FIFA's global integrity program, seminars were held in all six confederations, namely the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the African Football Confederation (CAF), the Confederation of North and Central America and the Caribbean (Concacaf), the Oceanic Football Confederation (OFC), the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL).
Today marks the end of @FIFAcom Global Integrity Programme, developed in collaboration w/ UNODC, which supported 211 member associations in their efforts to tackle match manipulation in
— UN Office on Drugs & Crime (@UNODC) August 3, 2022
400+ officials trained
29 workshops
integrity inenhanced
https://t.co/DgjQS9fIYG pic.twitter.com/9TZ6ifegNH
In addition to safeguarding sport from corruption and crime, the program also reflects UNODC's mandate to assist governments and sports organizations.
UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly explained that corruption and fraud have no place in "our society" and "certainly not in the world's most popular sport." For Waly, with the help of the Global Integrity Program, FIFA and UNODC can truly strengthen integrity in football. Ghada Waly emphasized, "We will continue our partnership with FIFA to protect football from match-fixing and other crimes, and to further advocate for the Sustainable Development Goals with the help of football's global footprint."
"I thank UNODC and Ghada Waly for their ongoing cooperation and look forward to further joint projects and programs," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. According to FIFA President Gianni Infantino, match-fixing is a very real issue that threatens the integrity and credibility of football in many countries.
For FIFA President Gianni Infantino, "integrity, good governance, ethics and fair play" are the values that "define the essence of football and are essential conditions for trust in our sport." According to Infantino, FIFA's Global Integrity Program, held in conjunction with the UNODC for more than 400 participants from around the world, is an important platform for education as well as strengthening commitment to fight match-fixing and "protect the integrity of football."
By a Memorandum of Understanding, FIFA and UNODC 2020 sealed the ongoing partnership, which includes the Global Integrity Program, and committed not to tolerate corruption in football in any way.
FIFA's Global Integrity Program is in line with FIFA's overarching vision of a truly global football and supports authorities and sports organizations, true to UNODC's commitment to protecting sport from corruption and crime.