IOC and UNODC enhance partnership to tackle crime in and through sport
Tackling crime in and through sport, protecting the credibility of sport and enhancing the strategic partnership between the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) were the key issues discussed by IOC President Thomas Bach and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly , who met virtually on Tuesday 21 July 2020.
President Bach underscored the importance of protecting the credibility of the values of sport and “the positive role played by sport in terms of social inclusion, drug and violence prevention, and rehabilitation”.
Ms Waly also underlined that “sport is key in helping to build back after COVID-19 and promoting gender equality and female empowerment” and stressed the importance of enhancing the credibility of sport by tackling corruption at all levels.
In parallel to the call, the IOC, the UNODC, and INTERPOL, with the support of the Council of Europe, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation (IBSF) organised a two-day virtual workshop for the Baltic region aimed at tackling the manipulation of sports competitions.
Held on 21 and 23 July 2020, the workshop brought together over 40 registered participants from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and served to highlight existing good practices and examples of how law enforcement, criminal justice authorities, sports organisations and related stakeholders can prevent, detect and sanction the manipulation of sports competitions.
Furthermore, the webinar aimed to promote enhanced cooperation at national and regional level, identifying tools to mitigate risks related to the manipulation of sports competitions, and providing useful guidance on how to conduct effective investigations.