Vienna, 2 January 2022 (TDI): Despite the sport’s ability to bring joy to mankind, corruption has not missed the chance to spoil it. Sports spirit will always exist, along with the positive effect, sports have on the human personality.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that managing such activities on a global level exposes our knowledge to a vast field of organized crime and corruption that is managed by extremely well-organized mafias around the world.
Among the first organizations to recognize such activity was the UNODC, which used its anti-corruption arm to closely monitor it and enhance the anti-corruption strategy in line with world agreements.
UNODC reported on Thursday, December 9, 2021, that up to $1.7 trillion is wagered annually in illicit betting markets.
Prevention of Crime
The Global Report on Corruption in Sport calls for an urgent, unified, and international response. The International Anticorruption Day takes place on December 9th, which coincides with the release of this report of 2021.
A UN report describes the scale, manifestation, and complexity of criminal activity in the sport on a global, regional, and national level.
An Increase of Substantial Proportions
The report is the most comprehensive of its kind to date, involving nearly 200 experts from the government, sports organizations, the private sector, and academia.
The coronavirus outbreak has forced many sports events to be canceled around the world. Illegal betting and competition manipulation are also discussed in this report.
Though the report acknowledges that sports corruption is not a new phenomenon, as fraudulent activities have existed for centuries, it identifies a “significant increase” in recent decades.
Corruption in sport is a multifaceted and transnational threat. The UN Convention against Corruption is a unique resource that governments & sport organizations can use to #SaveSport. Learn more about how #UNCAC can be applied to sport in the #GRCS2021 https://t.co/jeQrAYZbWF pic.twitter.com/8gQu53x1Pl
— UN Office on Drugs & Crime (@UNODC) December 31, 2021
Due to globalization, enormous influx of money, exponential growth of legal and illegal sports betting, and technological advancements, it has become increasingly attractive to criminal networks looking to exploit sports.
The report discusses illegal betting, competition manipulation, and abuse. Additionally, it also discusses the vulnerabilities of major sporting events to fraudsters and their links to organized crime.
“The report discusses initiatives that can be used to mitigate the problem, as well as issues related to detecting and reporting wrongdoing. Additionally, the article discusses how existing legal frameworks can be used to mitigate the problem in the future.”
Concrete Policies
In addition to providing recommendations for governments and sports organizations, the report also provides a playbook. According to the report, one of the recommendations involves strengthening legal, policy, and institutional frameworks.
Furthermore, it involves implementation of comprehensive anti-corruption policies; and expanding cooperation and information sharing between sports organizations and law enforcement and criminal justice authorities.
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