BUCHAREST, Romania – INTERPOL and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have held a series of workshops and training activities to fight competition manipulation in all its forms.
With organized crime groups looking to influence sports competitions for profit, a three-day (13-15 March) programme was carried out to focus on unregulated gambling, competition manipulation and corruption.
The event was held in close collaboration with the Romanian National Police and the Romanian Sports and Olympic Committee, for Romanian law enforcement, sports organizations, public authorities and other stakeholders.
Day 1: Focus on stakeholders
With some 70 Romanian and Moldovan officials gathered, the emphasis was placed on fostering collaboration in order to successfully develop a coordinated national approach against crimes in sport. The Council of Europe, UEFA and Sportradar contributed to a multi-stakeholder workshop highlighting the need for a consistently holistic approach.
Day 2: Investigations
Led by INTERPOL and the IOC’s Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions, a Law Enforcement Investigators Training session sought to strengthen the investigative capacity of Romanian and Moldovan officers. Exercises using real-life scenarios allowed investigators to see the benefits of operational collaboration between sports bodies, betting regulators and operators, and law enforcement.
Day 3: Reinforcing the frontlines of sport
Aimed at coaches, trainers and educators, the final session taught participants to deliver integrity training to athletes, referees and officials in their home countries. Participants learned how attempts at competition manipulation can be recognized, rejected and reported.
In his opening address, George Boroi, Secretary General of the Romanian National Olympic Committee highlighted the importance of training and awareness in protecting sport. “We all agree on the fact that something has to be done against the increasing temptations which threaten the wellbeing of our athletes, referees, coaches – in fact the whole sports world. And it all starts with education," he said.
Deputy Head of Police, Carmen Camelia Tuicu, stressed that the event offered excellent opportunities for bringing the police and sporting worlds together to ensure the safety and security of all society.
Lăcrămioara Petrescu, Head of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau in Romania emphasized the importance of INTERPOL’s global network and policing capabilities, and more specifically the INTERPOL Match Fixing Task Force in combatting match fixing in Romania.
This event was held under the aegis of a cooperation between INTERPOL and the IOC, in the area of sports integrity, which was formalized in a Memorandum of Understanding signed in January 2014.
