New report presents ‘key measures’ against match-fixing

Over the past 18 months, the project has been working in a number of different European countries with research and fact-finding about the scale and scope of match-fixing as well as by publishing information and training material about how to prevent it. The project partners have issued a report named ‘Staying on Side: How to Stop Match-Fixing’, which summarises the findings.

Apart from education and prevention, the project partners stresses the importance of establishing whistleblower systems in order to support those who want to report on match-fixing incidents or are in need of advice on how to handle a difficult situation. Such systems have already been implemented in German, Austrian and Scottish leagues, and others have committed to establishing similar systems.

“We strongly believe awareness-raising and education are key to tackling the problem of match-fixing. As an anti-corruption organisation with experience helping people say no to corruption, Transparency International can offer support to those in football who have to come to grips with risky situations,” says Cobus de Swardt, Managing Director, Transparency International in a press release.

Material and experiences from the project will continue to be disseminated in the next phase of the project.

“We strongly believe that education and training especially of younger players is a key element of prevention,” says Christian Seifert, Chief Executive of the DFL in the press release.

“We want to create a clear understanding and awareness about the dangers and consequences of match-fixing and gambling addiction in order to protect the players and to combat match-fixing.”  

The project, in which representatives from a number of European football’s major leagues have also taken part, has been carried out as one of six pilot projects co-funded by the European Commission.