April 30 – CONCACAF is to assign an integrity officer to each of the teams in this July’s Gold Cup, the confederation’s premier national team tournament. The officers will travel and stay with the teams to discourage approaches from match-fixers.
“The integrity officers will act as a person to contact in case someone needs to report an approach but will also provide information to the teams about the threat of match-fixing and hold integrity presentations,” said Dr. Laila Mintas, Director of Sports Integrity at CONCACAF.
Last week the confederation completed a three-day ‘Train the Trainer’ integrity workshop in Miami. Held in association with INTERPOL and FIFA, 19 participants from eight countries were provided with instruction on how to recognise approaches by match-fixers, as well how to lead workshops to educate players, referees, coaches and officials on the dangers and warning signs of match-fixing.
“Match-fixing is a known problem in international sport and the biggest threat to the integrity of football,” said Ralf Mutschke, Director of Security at FIFA. “To tackle the global problem of match-fixing, a holistic approach is crucial to find sustainable solutions…Training the Trainer is an important multiplication initiative to address the increasing global threat of match-fixing and provide specific recommendations to key stakeholders.”
The CONCACAF Integrity Officer Program was established in May 2014 and has been a great success. Through the end of 2014, CONCACAF has addressed awareness and education training at more than 45 events and workshops across the region, connecting in a direct way with more than 3,350 individuals.
“Through our 25 INTERPOL certified CONCACAF Integrity Officers, we have been able to provide face-to-face trainings to more than 3,350 players, referees and officials across our region over the past year. Now, with 44 CONCACAF Integrity Officers, we will be able to increase this already enormous number significantly,” said Mintas.
During the workshop CONCACAF’s rules/regulations and Code of Ethics were reviewed. The Code of Ethics prohibits behaviour that damages or could damage football’s integrity. It also obligates individuals to report possible match-manipulation incidents in order to protect themselves, and to cooperate in any CONCACAF investigation.
“Match-fixing is a known problem in international sport and the biggest threat to the integrity of football,” said Ralf Mutschke, Director of Security at FIFA. “To tackle the global problem of match-fixing, a holistic approach is crucial to find sustainable solutions. The FIFA Security Division, in partnership with INTERPOL’s Integrity in Sport Unit developed a multifaceted program to build capacities to fight those manipulations.
“Training the Trainer is an important multiplication initiative to address the increasing global threat of match-fixing and provide specific recommendations to key stakeholders. It is of utmost importance to have strong allies in that fight. FIFA highly values the cohesive support of CONCACAF to combat match-manipulation.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734897843labto1734897843ofdlr1734897843owedi1734897843sni@n1734897843osloh1734897843cin.l1734897843uap1734897843