The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has introduced a new code to combat the influence of match-fixers, with the potential for lifetime bans for transgressors.
The Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (read it here) is the IOC’s attempt to harmonize regulations among its members, although members are free to impose more stringent regulations if their nation’s supply of thumbscrews is going underutilized.
The code, which will be in effect at the 2016 Summer Games in Brazil, prohibits participants from betting on (a) events in which they are directly involved, (b) the sport in which a participant competes, and (c) any event in a multisport competition in which the participant is involved.
Participants are also prohibited from passing on inside information and from accepting any benefit from people seeking such info. Failure to provide the IOC with info regarding fixing overtures or to cooperate with the IOC in its investigations will also land participants in hot water.
Penalties for proven instances of corruption can range from a mere warning to a lifetime ban from competition. However, guilty parties who fink on other guilty parties could see their sentences reduced, so expect a deep field for the 100m snitch.
UK GAMBLING COMMISSION SPIFF UP NEW SBIF SITE
The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) stole a little bit of the IOC’s thunder, choosing Thursday to announce the launch of its new Sports Betting Integrity Forum (SBIF) website. The SBIF is an upgraded version of the UKGC’s old Tripartite Forum, which was established in 2012 to protect both sport and sports betting.
The SBIF site is a repository of best practice products and resources, integrity news articles from around the globe, progress reports on the UKGC’s Sports and Sports Betting Action Plan, plus the ever important snitch line. Nick Tofiluk, the UKGC’s director of regulation, said he was right chuffed to have a one-stop shop for all that the UKGC has achieved in the integrity realm and what the UKGC hopes to achieve in future.
