Briefing Technical Officials – why it is essential
On 18 and 20 June, the OM Unit PMC organised webinars for more than 400 National and International Technical Officials who will participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024. The purpose was to educate them about the issue of competition manipulation and the rules in place, help them identify unethical behaviour and make them familiar with the existing reporting mechanism.
Technical Officials are trained individuals who ensure that competitions are conducted fairly, following the rules and regulations of each sport. Given their position, they risk being directly approached by criminals to fix competitions. They may also be the first ones to recognise suspicious conduct on the field of play, such as athletes losing on purpose. That is exactly why the IOC teamed up with the International Federations in the run-up to the Games to raise awareness among this critical stakeholder group.
Similarly, Paris 2024, together with the French authorities, conducted a webinar for its sports managers, who are in charge of organising the sports competitions in collaboration with the respective IFs, the OCOG venue team and the volunteers. The briefing, held on 27 May, also featured a presentation by the OM Unit PMC on the rules and the processes in place for intelligence gathering and disciplinary procedures. In addition, the Unit also referred to the results of its pre-Games risk assessment, covering the 32 sports and 48 disciplines on the Olympic programme.
Pierre Yves Portafaix, Compliance Manager at Paris 2024, said: “The presentations and contributions by the OM Unit PMC, Paris 2024 and the French authorities helped the participants understand the rules and the relevant monitoring and intelligence arrangements. The Unit, Paris 2024 and the French authorities have worked closely towards safeguarding the integrity of the Olympic competitions."
Believe in Sport ambassador Pascal Gentil, an Olympian in taekwondo from France, also joined the briefing. He urged the participants: “As a representative of your discipline, you have to be the best ambassador of your sport by being an authentic player.”