ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – The INTERPOL Global Conference on Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery and the 15th Annual INTERPOL Match Fixing Task Force concluded today in Abu Dhabi, bringing together over 500 specialists from more than 90 countries.
Organized by INTERPOL’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre (IFCACC) in partnership with the Government of the United Arab Emirates, the events opened by INTERPOL President Ahmed Naser Al-Raisi and Abu Dhabi Police Commander-in-Chief Ahmed Saif bin Zaitoon Al Muhairi, ran concurrently across three days (11–13 November).
Serving as a critical platform for unifying international strategies against corruption and financial crime, both fora reinforced global law enforcement efforts to dismantle criminal networks, recover illicit assets and safeguard integrity in sport.
Accelerating international action for stronger asset recovery
Operational cooperation was a core focus of the INTERPOL Global Anti-Corruption and Asset Recovery Conference with sessions emphasizing strong linkages between corruption, money laundering, environmental crime and organized crime. Delegates called for comprehensive institutional and legal reforms, strengthened financial oversight by regulatory agencies, and the building of robust reporting systems to expose corruption and enhance accountability.
Participants also exchanged experiences and discussed mechanisms to enhance cooperation between national and international entities, while exploring INTERPOL’s role in supporting asset recovery. The conference highlighted the increasing operational utility of the INTERPOL Silver Notice, a specialized tool for requesting information on assets linked to criminal activities.
Contributions from key partners, including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), complemented expert insights and underscored the importance of multi-agency approaches in crippling criminal financing.
Sports integrity in focus
Running concurrently, the 15th INTERPOL Match Fixing Task Force Annual Meeting brought together representatives from law enforcement, sports federations, public and private sector partners to share insights and best practices on tackling competition manipulation, and other sports related criminal activities.
Among the issues addressed was the rapid global growth of e-sports along with the emergence of new threats, such as illegal betting with digital items and virtual currencies.
Discussions emphasized best practices for integrity management in this digital-first industry, including closer collaboration between tournament organizers, game publishers and integrity providers, as well as the need for robust monitoring tools, enhanced player protection and awareness building.
Sessions also explored the use of technology and artificial intelligence to detect competition manipulation, examined links between illicit betting markets and organized crime, and highlighted new initiatives to safeguard the integrity of sports including football, cricket and tennis. Delegates reiterated their commitment to expanding the scope of the task force and strengthening cooperation between law enforcement agencies and sports organizations worldwide.
In support of such efforts, on 12 November INTERPOL and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) jointly hosted the Integrity in Sport Workshop for representatives from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the UAE. The workshop formed part of the long running Global Capacity Building and Training Programme jointly implemented by both organizations since 2015 to preserve the credibility of sports competitions.
The workshop helped participating National Olympic Committees and law enforcement agencies define roles and better understand links between competition manipulation and illegal betting. Through interactive case studies, participants identified practical steps to enhance action in preventing and investigating competition manipulation.