Integrisport 3.0 – Sesión práctica de sensibilización para autoridades policiales y judiciales sobre la lucha contra la manipulación deportiva en España

Madrid, España – Más de 100 funcionarios de varios departamentos de la Policía Nacional se reunieron en Madrid para asistir a un simposio de formación los días 24 y 25 de octubre de 2023 en el Complejo de la Policía Nacional de Madrid, en el que aprendieron temas clave que les ayudarán a contribuir a la preservación del deporte, integridad y fortalecer su lucha contra la manipulación en el deporte. El simposio, es decir, la Sesión Práctica de Sensibilización (ARPS), fue parte del proyecto IntegriSport 3.0 y fue organizado por la Fundación CSCF para la Integridad Deportiva, coordinadora y experta en contenidos del proyecto, junto con la Policía de España, los países socios del proyecto, en estrecha cooperación con el Ministerio del Interior de España. Esta reunión excepcional reunió a un impresionante elenco de más de 32 oradores, uniendo a expertos, visionarios y partes interesadas clave de diversos sectores para abordar el desafío multifacético de la manipulación deportiva.

Integrisport 3.0 es un proyecto creado para brindar apoyo teórico y práctico a las autoridades policiales y judiciales en los seis países del programa: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Grecia, Rumania y España, cofinanciado por la Unión Europea. La sesión práctica inaugural de sensibilización marcó el inicio de este proyecto y de la 15ª edición del exitoso programa Integrisport , que ha llegado a casi dos tercios de los órganos policiales y judiciales de los países de la UE en los últimos 4,5 años.

Además de los ponentes expertos del CSCF, destacaron el comisario jefe José Ángel González Morán, Jefe de la Unidad Central de delincuencia especializada y violenta, el comisario Félix López Rivera, jefe de la Brigada Central de Delitos contra las Personas y el inspector jefe David Calvete Sarasa, jefe del Servicio Central de Control de Juegos y Apuestas de la Policía Nacional y otros funcionarios de diversas organizaciones de alto nivel, entre ellas la Policía Nacional, LALIGA, UEFA, Asociación de Futbolistas Españoles (AFE), Real Federación Española de Fútbol, Federación Española de Rugby, Federación española de Tenis, miembros de la Fiscalía General del Estado, de la Fiscalía Anticorrupción, Centro Finlandés para la Integridad en el Deporte (FINCIS), Asociación Eslovaca de Fútbol, Policía de Malta y muchos más. El evento contó con la participación de una serie de distinguidos representantes de organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley, eminentes funcionarios judiciales, figuras reconocidas del mundo del deporte, voces influyentes de los sindicatos de jugadores, líderes del sector de las apuestas y pioneros de los deportes electrónicos.

El evento fue un esfuerzo de colaboración, organizado conjuntamente por el Servicio de Control del juego de la Policía nacional, del que se encuentra adscrito el Centro Nacional de Policía para la Integridad en los Deportes y las Apuestas (CENPIDA) y coorganizado por la Fundación CSCF para la Integridad Deportiva, una organización dedicada a fortalecer la integridad de los deportes como coordinador y proveedor de contenido del evento. Este espíritu de colaboración se extendió aún más con el apoyo sustancial y la presencia activa de organizaciones estimadas como nuestros socios de IntegriSport 3.0 Play Fair Code, Austria (PFC), United Lotteries for Integrity in Sport (ULIS), también nuestro socio de apoyo FIFPRO, junto con Interpol y Europol, que participaron activamente en el evento.

En esencia, este simposio tenía como objetivo proporcionar una combinación de conocimientos teóricos y orientación práctica a los organismos encargados de hacer cumplir la ley, los órganos judiciales y las partes interesadas de la industria. Juntos, profundizaron en los innumerables desafíos que rodean la manipulación deportiva y los crímenes dentro del mundo del deporte. Otro objetivo primordial fue fomentar la cooperación nacional e internacional, reconociendo que este problema global exige un frente unido. Los participantes, la mayoría de los cuales conocieron estos temas clave por primera vez, brindaron comentarios muy positivos y apreciaron mucho el nivel de contenido, diseño y formato del evento.


La Fundación CSCF para la Integridad Deportiva, la fuerza impulsora detrás de esta iniciativa, ha defendido durante mucho tiempo la causa de la integridad deportiva. Su compromiso con este noble esfuerzo reconoce la necesidad de una acción colectiva para combatir eficazmente la manipulación dentro de la industria del deporte.

El director de la Fundación CSCF para la Integridad Deportiva, Norbert Rubicsek, compartió sus ideas y afirmó: " Nuestra dedicación por defender la pureza de los deportes nos ha impulsado a organizar este evento innovador. Creemos firmemente que fomentando la cooperación entre todas las partes interesadas, podemos forjar un marco resiliente para combatir la manipulación deportiva y salvaguardar los valores que hacen que el deporte sea tan especial. "

Durante la clausura del evento de dos días, el inspector jefe David Calvete señaló: “Quiero expresar mi más sincero agradecimiento por la oportunidad que se ha brindado a la Policía Nacional de colaborar en el proyecto IntegriSport 3.0, comprometido con la lucha contra el amaño de partidos en todo el mundo. Es un privilegio ser parte de él y contribuir a su éxito. Las claves del éxito son la proactividad, la búsqueda de soluciones creativas a los retos que se presentan y la colaboración efectiva entre todos los participantes. Estoy seguro que este proyecto seguirá creciendo y logrando grandes cosas y nosotros, en la Policía Nacional, queremos ser parte de ese progreso”. Añadió además diciendo: "También me gustaría destacar la dedicación y profesionalismo de todos los miembros del equipo de CSCF. Su compromiso y arduo trabajo han sido inspiradores y han asegurado que los días se hayan celebrado con excelencia".

El simposio de dos días en Madrid marca un paso transformador en la búsqueda continua para salvaguardar la integridad del deporte en España. Con la unión de expertos y partes interesadas para fortalecer la lucha contra la manipulación deportiva, existe una esperanza renovada de un futuro en el que los deportes sigan siendo un modelo de juego limpio y competencia honesta, que inspire a las generaciones venideras.

Para consultas de los medios, comuníquese con: admin@cscfsport.com

Integrisport 3.0 – Awareness raising practical session for law enforcement and judiciary on tackling sport manipulation in Spain

Madrid, Spain – More than 100 officials from various departments of Policia Nacional came together in Madrid to attend a training symposium on 24th and 25th October, 2023, at the National Police Complex Madrid, learning key topics for helping them contribute towards the preservation of sports integrity and to strengthen their fight against manipulation in sport. The symposium, i.e., the Awareness Raising Practical Session (ARPS) was part of the IntegriSport 3.0 project and organized by CSCF Foundation for Sports Integrity, the coordinator and content experts of the project, along with Policia España, the country partners of the project, in close cooperation with Ministry of Interior, Spain. This exceptional gathering brought together an impressive lineup of more than 32 speakers, uniting experts, visionaries, and key stakeholders from diverse sectors to tackle the multifaceted challenge of sport manipulation.

Integrisport 3.0 is a project established to provide theoretical and practical support for law enforcement and judiciaries in the six program countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Romania, and Spain, co-financed by the European Union. The inaugural awareness-raising practical session marked the commencement of this project and the 15th edition of the successful Integrisport program, reaching nearly two-thirds of EU countries' law enforcement and judiciaries in the last 4.5 years.

In addition to the expert speakers from CSCF, the notable speakers were Chief Commissioner José Ángel González Morán, Head of the Specialized and Violent Crime Unit, Commissioner Félix López River, Head of the Central Crimes against Persons Brigade and Chief Inspector David Calvete Sarasa, Head of the Central Gaming and Betting Control Service of the National Police and various other officials from a number of high level organizations including the National Police, LALIGA, UEFA, Association of Spanish Soccer Players (AFE), Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish Rugby Federation, Spanish Tennis Federation, members of the State Attorney General's Office and of the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office, Finnish Center for Integrity in Sport (FINCIS), Slovak Football Association, Malta Police Force and many more. The event saw participation from a number of distinguished representatives from law enforcement agencies, eminent judiciary officials, renowned figures from the world of sports, influential voices from players' unions, leaders from the betting sector, and pioneers in esports.

The event was a collaborative effort, jointly hosted by the Gambling Control Service of the National Police, which is part of the National Center of Police for Integrity in Sports and Betting (CENPIDA) and co-hosted by CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, an organization dedicated to fortifying the integrity of sports as the event's coordinator and content provider. This collaborative spirit extended further with substantial support and active presence from esteemed organizations like our IntegriSport 3.0 partners Play Fair Code, Austria (PFC), United Lotteries for Integrity in Sport (ULIS), also our supporting partner FIFPRO, along with Interpol and Europol, actively participating in the proceedings.

At its core, this symposium aimed to provide a blend of theoretical insights and practical guidance to law enforcement agencies, judiciary bodies, and industry stakeholders. Together, they delved into the myriad challenges surrounding sport manipulation and crimes within the world of sports. Another primary objective was to foster national and international cooperation, recognizing that this global issue demands a united front. The participants, most of whom were introduced to these key topics for the first time, provided a very positive feedback, appreciating highly for the level of content, design and format of the event.


CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, the driving force behind this initiative, has long championed the cause of sports integrity. Their commitment to this noble endeavor recognizes the need for collective action to effectively combat manipulation within the sports industry.

CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity 's Director, Norbert Rubicsek, shared his insights, stating, "Our dedication to upholding the purity of sports has propelled us to organize this groundbreaking event. We firmly believe that by fostering cooperation among all stakeholders, we can forge a resilient framework to combat sport manipulation and safeguard the values that make sports so special."

During the closing of the 2 day event, Chief Inspector David Calvete noted: “I want to express my most sincere gratitude for the opportunity that has been given to the National Police to collaborate in IntegriSport 3.0 project, committed to fight match fixing across the world. It is a privilege to be part of it and contribute to its success. The keys to success are proactivity, the search for creative solutions to the challenges that arise, and effective collaboration between all participants. I am sure that this project will continue to grow and achieve great things, and we, at National Police, want to be part of that progress.” He further added by saying "I would also like to highlight the dedication and professionalism of all team members of CSCF. Their commitment and hard work have been inspiring and have ensured that the days have been celebrated with excellence."

The 2 day symposium in Madrid marks a transformative stride in the ongoing quest to safeguard the integrity of sports in Spain. With experts and stakeholder uniting together to strengthen the fight against sports manipulation, there is renewed hope for a future where sports remain a beacon of fair play and honest competition, inspiring generations to come.

For media inquiries, please contact: admin@cscfsport.com

Integrisport 3.0 – Awereness raising practical session for law enforcement and judiciary on tackling sport manipulation Greece

Athens, Greece – Athens played host to a significant event on October 5th and 6th, 2023, as the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, along with EPATHLA the Greek National Platform for Sports, became the focal point for a two-day symposium addressing the preservation of sports integrity and the fight against manipulation in sport. The Awareness Raising Practical Session (ARPS) was part of the IntegriSport 3.0 project and organized by CSCF Foundation for Sports Integrity, the coordinator and content experts of the project. This exceptional gathering brought together an impressive lineup of 35 influential speakers, uniting experts, visionaries, and key stakeholders from diverse sectors to tackle the multifaceted challenge of sport manipulation.

Integrisport 3.0 is a project established to provide theoretical and practical support for law enforcement and judiciaries in the six program countries: Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Romania, and Spain, co-financed by the European Union. The inaugural awareness-raising practical session marked the commencement of this project and the 14th edition of the successful Integrisport program, reaching nearly two-thirds of EU countries' law enforcement and judiciaries in the last 4,5 years.

Among the notable keynote speakers were Hon’ble Alternate Minister for Sports Mr. Ioannis Vroutsis, celebrated Member of European Parliament and sports legend Theodoros Zagorakis, Vourliotis Charalambos, Head of the Independent Authority for Money Laundering, Greece, Alexandra Rogkakou, Head of the National Transparency Authority and George Mavrotas, Secretary General of Sport and Chair of the Follow Up Committee of the Macolin Convention. The event saw participation from a number of distinguished representatives from law enforcement agencies, eminent judiciary officials, renowned figures from the world of sports, influential voices from players' unions, leaders from the betting sector, and pioneers in esports.

The event was a collaborative effort, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, along with the Greek National Platform for Sport Integrity (EPATHLA) and co-hosted by CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, an organization dedicated to fortifying the integrity of sports as the event's coordinator and content provider. This collaborative spirit extended further with substantial support from esteemed organizations like ULIS and FIFPRO, along with Interpol, actively participating in the proceedings.

At its core, this symposium aimed to provide a blend of theoretical insights and practical guidance to law enforcement agencies, judiciary bodies, and industry stakeholders. Together, they delved into the myriad challenges surrounding sport manipulation and crimes within the world of sports. Another primary objective was to foster national and international cooperation, recognizing that this global issue demands a united front.

CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, the driving force behind this initiative, has long championed the cause of sports integrity. Their commitment to this noble endeavor recognizes the need for collective action to effectively combat manipulation within the sports industry.

Hon'ble Minister Vroutsis, emphasized the event's significance, stating, "The battle against sport manipulation is pivotal in preserving the essence of fair competition in sports. We are proud to stand in the frontline with experts and stakeholders to collectively address this issue and ensure equitable opportunities for all athletes."


CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity 's Director, Norbert Rubicsek, shared his insights, stating, "Our dedication to upholding the purity of sports has propelled us to organize this groundbreaking event. We firmly believe that by fostering cooperation among all stakeholders, we can forge a resilient framework to combat sport manipulation and safeguard the values that make sports so special."


The Athens event marks a transformative stride in the ongoing quest to safeguard the integrity of sports. With experts and influencers uniting, there is renewed hope for a future where sports remain a beacon of fair play and honest competition, inspiring generations to come.

George Mavrotas the Chair of the Macolin Convention’s ´Follow Up Committee´ and Secretary General of Sport noted that: “The sport movement alone cannot face this global threat behind which organized crime is often found. For this reason, synergies with the law enforcement and other government authorities as well as with the betting ecosystem are necessary. These are cases that are not easily proven and for this the effective investigation of such cases needs inputs from both the sports community and the betting ecosystem and of course the expertise of the prosecuting authorities at national and international level with the appropriate collaborations. IntegriSport 3.0 programme aims at this direction.”

The Athens event marks a transformative stride in the ongoing quest to safeguard the integrity of sports. With experts and influencers uniting, there is renewed hope for a future where sports remain a beacon of fair play and honest competition, inspiring generations to come.

For media inquiries, please contact: admin@cscfsport.com

🏂 Celebrating the Successful Conclusion of SafeShred: Empowering Sport Ethics and Integrity Awareness among Grassroots Snowboard Riders 🌟

We are thrilled to announce the successful culmination of SafeShred, an education program coordinated by the World Snowboard Federation and implemented by the sport integrity experts of CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity. We take immense pride in the impact we have made in raising awareness of ethical issues among the future stars of snowboarding – the grassroots riders – and the sport community in general.

SafeShred aimed to equip young riders with a comprehensive understanding of key sport integrity issues, enabling them to navigate challenges they may encounter in their snowboarding journey. This groundbreaking program covered a wide range of crucial topics, explained in the most simple manner to the young riders of different age groups, ensuring that these aspiring athletes possess the knowledge and tools to thrive while maintaining integrity.

Throughout the project, we delved into various significant subjects, including:


- Manipulation of sports competition

- Doping

- Harassment and bullying

- Corruption

- Whistleblowing system

- Basic human rights

By addressing these issues head-on, the project aims to foster a culture of fairness, respect, and transparency within the snowboarding community. Our collective efforts have not only provided essential knowledge but also empowered these young riders to act and react confidently when confronted with such issues, enabling them to make informed decisions and protect themselves and their sport throughout their journey as athletes

One of the remarkable achievements of this two-year project is the development of essential resources, including the Rider's Practical Guide and the multilingual E-learning platform available in English, German, Finnish, Italian, and Swedish. These deliverables, along with the research-based comprehensive pedagogical training materials and the trained trainers in each of the countries, provide the World Snowboard Federation and its members with a powerful and unparalleled toolset allowing them to create a sustainable training program for years to come.


“We extend our heartfelt appreciation to the entire SafeShred team and our dedicated partners for their unwavering commitment and hard work. Together, we have made a lasting impact on the future of snowboarding by nurturing a new generation of riders who excel both on the slopes and as ethical ambassadors of the sport”, said Norbert Rubicsek, Director of CSCF Foundation for Sports Integrity, who was also one of the experts for creating the above resources for the SafeShred project.

As we celebrate the successful conclusion of SafeShred, we invite everyone to reflect on the importance of of fostering a culture of integrity, particularly one that emphasizes proactive action rather than reactive response to ethical issues.

Please feel free to reach out if you would like to learn more about SafeShred or collaborate on similar projects. Together, we can build a brighter future for sports, where ethics and excellence go hand in hand!

PROJECT COORDINATOR

Company: CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity (https://cscfsport.com/)


Location: Remote - Homebased, with possible virtual and/or on-site short-term assignments


Main working language: English 


Contract Type: Service contract on a project basis


Term of the Contract: On a project basis and depending on the evolving needs of the organisation.


Start Date:  Upon request on a project basis and depending on the evolving needs of the organization.

CSCF – Sport Integrity Group

CSCF supports stakeholders within and around the sports ecosystem to be better equipped to face challenges stemming from sport integrity breaches, as well as to create opportunities for effective and innovative programs and partnerships in the fields of our expertise through sports. This includes- but is not limited to- sport manipulation, corruption, doping, different kinds of violence (discrimination, hooliganism, racism, sexual abuse), human rights violations, lack of governance, and omerta. CSCF has been providing services in the field of sport integrity such as research, education and awareness, corruption and crime prevention, policy making, governance, regulations and structures, risk assessment and crisis management, performance betting and monitoring analysis data, operational assistance to run ethics and integrity projects, safety and security, and intelligence-led investigations.

For further information please visit our website: https://cscfsport.com/


About the position

As CSCF is developing several projects/programs, we are looking for project coordinators to support the planning, procurement, and execution of the same.


Objectives of the position

The project coordinators will support the implementation of CSCF projects/programs as needed.


About the responsibilities:


    Ensure the overall management of the project(s)/program(s) and aspects of the project cycle (initiating, planning, executing, and closing).

    Liaise with key stakeholders and represent the group and its projects.

    Oversee the activities of experts in CSCF projects/programs.

    Coordinate the content and knowledge of experts’ activities.

    Plan the dissemination of the projects results.

    Report about the project/program implementation to the management of CSCF.

    Attending conferences on behalf of CSCF and our projects

    Other related tasks.


About the involvement:


Participation in activities/deliverables is subject to emerging projects/programs, as well as the availability of funds for projects and/or mutual agreements between CSCF and the provider. Once the supplier has been pre-selected, a work agreement will be established to facilitate contracting as and when required by both parties.

 

Desired profile


Experience in project management, from conception to delivery;

Excellent organisational and administrative skills;

Proven ability to meet deadlines, operate with limited supervision;

Detail-oriented and meticulous work manner;

Fluent English - excellent writing skills.

Working in the sport and/or sport integrity domain would be an asset.

The candidate must be a natural person.

 

Procedure for expression of interest

Candidates interested in take part in this call, are kindly invited to send their CV with contact details of references and a short motivation letter (in English) together with reference material that is suitable for one of the abovementioned deliverables to the following addresses:

recruitment@cscfsport.com

 

Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The applicants should be available for an interview via videoconference.

The invitation to an interview and the inclusion in the pool do not establish any entitlement to future obligation to be contracted.

Deadline for applications: 31st of March 2023 (midnight CET)

EXPERTS ON SPORT INTEGRITY

Company: CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity (https://cscfsport.com/)


Location: Remote - Homebased, with possible virtual and/or on-site short-term assignments.


Main working language: English 


Contract Type: Service contract on a project basis


Term of the Contract: On a project basis and depending on the evolving needs of the organisation.


Start Date:  Upon request on a project basis and depending on the evolving needs of the organization.

CSCF – Sport Integrity Group

CSCF supports stakeholders within and around the sports ecosystem to be better equipped to face challenges stemming from sport integrity breaches, as well as to create opportunities for effective and innovative programs and partnerships in the fields of our expertise through sports. This includes- but is not limited to- sport manipulation, corruption, doping, different kinds of violence (discrimination, hooliganism, racism, sexual abuse), human rights violations, lack of governance, and omerta. CSCF has been providing services in the field of sport integrity such as research, education and awareness, corruption and crime prevention, policy making, governance, regulations and structures, risk assessment and crisis management, performance betting and monitoring analysis data, operational assistance to run ethics and integrity projects, safety and security, and intelligence-led investigations.

For further information please visit our website: https://cscfsport.com/

About the position

As CSCF is developing several projects/programs, we are looking for service providers to support the implementation of the same, with a particular expertise in the field of sport ethics and integrity notably sport manipulation and corruption, safeguarding (preventing abuse in sport), good governance and doping.

Objectives of the position

The experts will support the implementation of CSCF projects/programs as needed.


About your responsibilities:

Experts will be selected from the established pool depending on the project’s need and will contribute to the development of content and knowledge of project activities from concept creation to implementation and completion. This will include writing reports, articles and other relevant documents and deliverables, as well as conducting research, writing presentations, as required.

About your involvement:


Participation in activities/deliverables is subject to emerging projects/programs, as well as the availability of funds for projects and/or mutual agreements between CSCF and the provider. Once the supplier has been pre-selected, a work agreement will be established to facilitate contracting as and when required by both parties.

Desired profile

University degree on law, sport law, sport integrity, law enforcement, sport management, or equivalent;

Relevant and proven experience in the field of sport integrity, including doping, safeguarding, racism, sport manipulation or other issues related to sports integrity,

Relevant knowledge in concepts and methodologies related to sport integrity matters;

Practical knowledge and experience in sports ethics and integrity;

Training and facilitation skills;

Excellent drafting skills;

Experience in sport ideally dealing with international (sports) organizations;

Proven ability to meet deadlines;

Detail-oriented and meticulous work manner;

Fluent English - excellent writing skills;

Experience in drafting policy and strategy papers/documents/reports, drafting guidelines, (internal) working procedures, recommendations.

The candidate must be a natural person.

Procedure for expression of interest

Experts interested in taking part in this call are kindly invited to send their CV with contact details of references and a short motivation letter (in English) together with reference material that is suitable for one of the abovementioned deliverables to the following address:

recruitment@cscfsport.com

Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The applicants should be available for an interview via videoconference.

The invitation to an interview and the inclusion in the pool do not establish any entitlement to future obligations to be contracted.

Deadline for applications: 31st of March, 2023 (midnight CET).

Official Launch of EU Co-Funded Project IntegriSport 3.0 2023-24

Third edition of IntegriSport to continue its focus on investigation and prosection by law enforcement and judicial authorities of sport manipulation across 6 countries!

2 March 2023. The IntegriSport 3.0, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Sports fund, was officially launched today at a kick-off meeting in Vienna with all 10 project and supporting Partners.

A third edition on the heels of 2 successful projects

The project, developed and coordinated by the CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, builds upon the success and learnings of its predecessors IntegriSport Erasmus+ (2019-20) and IntegriSport Next (2021-22). The IntegriSport Concept has already helped to train over 400 officials from almost 25 law enforcement and judicial organisations and with this third edition, it shall be reaching almost 2/3rd of the EU, proving its uniqueness and promoting the importance of awareness, strengthening capacities and increasing the efficiency of the target group in the fight against criminal activities in sport.

The IntegriSport 3.0 project marks a joint commitment to engage in multi-stakeholder and transnational co-operation, with 6 country Partners from Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Greece, Romania and Spain. They are joined by the project’s academic Partner, Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya, and International Partner, United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports, the latter of which has been a partner since the 1st edition.

The project consortium includes:

Country Partners Organisations: Play Fair Code, Austria, Estonian Center for Integrity in Sports (ESTCIS), Bulgarian Ministry of Youth and Sports, Greek Ministry of Culture and Sport, Romanian Ministry of Sport, Spanish National Police

Partner organisations: Institut Nacional d’Educació Física de Catalunya, Spain (INEFC) and United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS)

Supporting organisations: FIFPRO

New dimensions, topics and tools for investigation and prosecution of match-fixing

The Project will only continue to impart the much appreciated comprehensive awareness raising training programs to Law Enforcement Agencies (LEA) and Judicial Authorities (JA) in Europe, and additionally improve from the learnings, adding several more dimensions, topics and tools to provide the best possible knowledge and operational support to tackle sports manipulation and criminal intrusion into sports.

Operational activities kick-off with Austria Fact-Finding mission

6-7 March 2023. The first operational activity under IntegriSport 3.0 project shall be a Fact Finding Mission in Austria, where CSCF and Partner organization experts shall conduct focused discussions with various key stakeholders and decision makers from Austria , setting the baseline for the research and implementation phase of the project.

For more information, please contact the CSCF Projects Team:

integrisport3.admin@cscfsport.com


Social media

https://cscfsport.com/

Linkedin: @CSCF_Integrity

Twitter: @CSCF_Integrity

Facebook: @CSCFSportintegrity

Instagram: @CSCF_Integrity

For more pictures request to integrisport3.admin@cscfsport.com

Media statement on the Closing Conference of the Integrisport Next Project on Sports Manipulations and Criminal Activities behind Sport, co-ordinated by CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity

“The IntegriSport Next Erasmus+ project (2021-2022) came to an end with its final administrative partners’ meeting and the Closing International Conference on “Sports Manipulation and Criminal Activities Behind Sports” on 3-4 November 2022 in the Netherlands.

Results, impact and positive outcomes for law enforcement and judicial awareness-raising in the field of sports manipulations.

The project, co-funded by the EU Commission through the Erasmus+ Sport Programme, was the 2nd edition of a unique CSCF-developed training program concept that began with IntegriSport (2019-2020) followed by Integrisport Next (2021-2022). The project has been funded for a 3rd edition starting January 2023. Project co-ordinator CSCF welcomed almost 100 participants to the event hosted by supporting partner FIFPRO, representing international organizations, national law enforcement and judiciary, sports organizations, academia, and the betting sector. Thanks to the project, several immediate impacts were revealed as well as the signatures by project partners of a Joint Statement committing efforts to fight efficiently against sports manipulations.

Being the first of its kind, the IntegriSport concept was conceived as a response to the need for in-depth knowledge about sports manipulations of a stakeholder group that is not traditionally linked to sport - the national law enforcement and judicial sector. In that way, over the last four years, CSCF Foundation (part of CSCF Sport Integrity Group) has been coordinating and providing expertise with the main objective of offering support to Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs), Judicial Authorities (JAs) and other relevant stakeholders to fight against sport manipulation and corruption in sport, using expertise inhouse, as well as that of the partners and collaborating stakeholders.

The conference: an ideal setting to share outcomes and highlight the progress made by law enforcement and judiciary in tackling sport manipulation in recent years.

The conference highlighted the far-reaching impact of the project’s 2nd edition, with the work and determination of project partners and CSCF sport integrity experts. IntegriSport Next has served as a vehicle to raise awareness and triggered cooperation in the 6 European countries of the partners (Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Malta, and Sweden), leading to customized action plans for each partner organization and benefitting over 300 law enforcement officers and judiciary representatives with direct training and over 117 stakeholder organizations linked directly or indirectly to this specific project. The presence at the conference of partners and collaborators from the 1st edition and the future 3rd edition of IntegriSport was a testament to the long-lasting impacts of the concept.

The public Closing Conference served as the ideal setting during which the partners (See list below) presented their experiences and learnings throughout the project, discussed success stories, exchanged best practices and shared with relevant stakeholders in the domain.

Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF and project manager of IntegriSport Erasmus+, added: “Most of the time the fixers of a sport event are outside the jurisdiction of the sport federations. We at CSCF and the partner organizations believe that to investigate these perpetrators, the involvement of law enforcement and judiciaries is inevitable. Therefore, we need to provide knowledge for these stakeholders on the issues of sport manipulation and in the framework of IntegriSport. This is why we have been sharing such knowledge with these important stakeholders for 4 years”.

Partners share significant immediate impacts of IntegriSport Next


During the conference, project partners shared the immediate and ongoing impacts of the activities of the project, highlighting the quality that CSCF and its experts delivered in the past 2 years. The partner countries, namely the law enforcement agencies of Cyprus, Estonia and Malta and the public authorities of Finland, Georgia and Sweden, as well as partner organisations ULIS (formerly GLMS) and KU Leuven, highlighted several immediate impacts of the project, including:

The full reports and project practical guide are due to be published by CSCF in early 2023. 

A joint statement to tackle manipulations of sports competitions

During the administrative session of the project, the partners discussed and evaluated the final outcomes of the project activities and administrative issues, as well as the sustainability of the project, drawing a link to the upcoming IntegriSport 3.0 project (2023-2024) and ratified their commitment to tackle this phenomenon with greater strength via the signature of the Project Joint Statement.

Additionally, all the partners of the project expressed in the Joint Statement that “We welcome this opportunity to be part of the group of the 17 European country partners and international partner organizations that make up the IntegriSport Community since its first edition in 2019 as a massive step forward in the implementation of coordinated actions and integrity policies against the manipulation of sports competitions”.

Expression of views from athletes and national and international organizations

In addition, on 3 November in the evening, CSCF, with FIFPRO’s support, organized a special teaser event for project partners with an emotional insight into the athletes’ perspective in investigations. CSCF’s Project Coordinator Carlos Guttierez and Legal Expert Cassandra Fernandes moderated an exchange with guest speakers Panu Autio (former Finland Futsal national team captain) and current Executive Director at the Finnish football players’ union Jean Fridolin Ngambe-Ngambe, a Cameroonian-born footballer playing in Finland, who is also currently an ambassador of the players’ union. Both speakers shared their personal experiences of dealing with law enforcement in match-fixing investigations and spoke about the vulnerabilities that can lead to match-fixing.

The main event on 4 November also welcomed the participation of invited speakers and panellists from beyond the partner organizations, including Interpol, the International Olympic Committee, the Football Players Association of Finland, the Spanish Football Federation, the Dutch National Platform, and the European Commission, as well as the presence of a +70 audience of representatives of various organizations such as Europol and Eurojust from 18 countries that currently play a key role in the development of policies that seek to strengthen and care for sport integrity on and off the playing field.

Looking forward: IntegriSport 3.0 (2023-2024)

However, the Final Conference is not the end of IntegriSport as a program. While the 2nd edition comes to a successful end, pending the publication of the final report, it opens the next chapter of the program that will continue, following the recent EU Commission’s funding approval for IntegriSport 3.0 (2023-2024) in six more countries - Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Estonia and Greece  - with new organizations and new partners, namely:

This brings the number of countries and organizations involved in the European implementation of the IntegriSport concept to 17. CSCF would like to thank all participants for being part of this initiative and for their support and collaboration on this project. The IntegriSport program would not have been possible without the EU Commission through the Erasmus+ Sport Programme, as well as ALL PARTNERS and other organizations indirectly involved!

We all stand against manipulation in sport!


ABOUT INTEGRISPORT NEXT (Jan 2021- Dec 2022)

The IntegriSport Next Erasmus+ project acted in six countries (Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Malta, and Sweden) from 2021-2022, bringing together the efforts of 10 European organizations that recognize the complexity and seriousness of this phenomenon, the danger it poses to the development and credibility of sport at national and international levels, and the need to cooperate closely to tackle it effectively:

ABOUT CSCF

CSCF is committed to the integrity and values that sport has, which are rarely found in other activities of society and, therefore, must be preserved, monitored, and protected. That is why all our efforts endeavour to help the actors of the sports ecosystem with tailored tools to be better equipped to face the challenges coming from integrity breaches that, although they are not new in sports, have become a growing problem at different levels in recent decades, ranging from unethical to illegal behaviour, including but not limited to:

-        Sport manipulation (match-fixing)

-        Corruption

-        Doping

-        Different kinds of violence: Discrimination, hooliganism, racism, or sexual abuses, etc.

-        Human rights violations

-        Lack of governance

-        Omerta and fear of reporting wrongdoing

For more pictures request to integrisportnext.admin@cscfsport.com

IntegriHUNBasket- Educational programme on sports manipulation and doping



27 OCTOBER 2022. Racism, doping, sports manipulation, harassment, corruption - all concepts that have rarely been discussed in Hungarian sport. The Hungarian Basketball Federation (MKOSZ) has made a point of talking frankly to young basketball players about the dangers they face in the world of sport. They are also enlisting the help of an expert company.

The CSCF Sport Integrity Group has been providing education and consultancy services for more than 5 years, helping sports federations, police forces, and national and international organisations to protect the integrity of the sporting world from negative influences, including doping, sports manipulation, corruption, (sexual) harassment and racism.


CSCF has produced educational programmes for the International Volleyball Federation, the International Snowboard Federation, and the Belgian, Czech, Greek and Maltese Football Associations, among others. In addition to 23 police forces and prosecutors from 11 countries, the Hungarian Police and the National Tax and Customs Office have participated in Integrisport, an educational programme for police forces and prosecutors on crime in the world of sport, over the last 4 years, along with more than 70 other public and private organisations dealing with the subject.

In these programmes, CSCF cooperates with UEFA, FIFPro, Interpol and the Council of Europe.

Leading the way in sporting purity

The Hungarian Basketball Federation is committed to preserving the purity of the sport, which is probably one of the reasons why we have not yet seen any professional or even junior problems in our sport," said Peter Bodnar, secretary general of the association. At the same time, we have to realise that there have been attempts so far, and there will probably always be attempts, so we would like to prepare teams and young people on how to do the right thing.

The aim of the cooperation between CSCF and MKOSZ is to map the purity of the Hungarian basketball scene and, based on the information gained, to prepare a tailor-made prevention programme for MKOSZ against sports manipulation and doping. Doping and sports manipulation are the most comprehensively understood topics, but the importance of betting and insider information and how to combat these harmful phenomena are also included in the research and educational material.

The educational material is already in preparation

In the first phase of the project, CSCF carried out a wide-ranging survey of more than 400 players and professionals involved in Hungarian basketball to find out their opinions and knowledge on match-fixing and other negative phenomena affecting the sport.

- After the completion of the preparatory and research phase of the project, our partner will prepare an educational programme, which will be shared with a wider audience of the Hungarian basketball scene through online learning material and live lectures, thus helping to preserve the purity of the sport of basketball. We would like to have the e-learning platform for our programme, IntegriHUNBasket, available this year.

Thanks to the cooperation between CSCF and MKOSZ, fair play in domestic basketball is guaranteed in the long term, according to Dr. Norbert Rubicsek, director of the CSCF Sport Integrity Group.

"Unfortunately, sports manipulation, doping and other phenomena against the purity of sports life can be found in today's sports all over the world. In the IntegriHUNBasket programme, we are working to keep this phenomenon as far away from Hungarian basketball as possible and to create as much space as possible for clean basketball," added Dr. Norbert Rubicsek.

Click here to read The National Protective Service of Hungary communications statement

CSCF delivers expertise at awareness raising on sport manipulation and related criminal activities for Hungarian law enforcement



20 September 2022, Budapest. The National Protective Service of Hungary organized, together with CSCF Sport Integrity Group, a symposium on manipulation in sport and related criminal activities for investigators of the Hungarian Police and the National Protective Services.

CSCF Sport Integrity Group, namely, Director and former Hungarian police officer, Norbert Rubicsek, and content officer Alban Zohn, together with CSCF-appointed experts, delivered a comprehensive seminar to over 100 participants on different aspects of sport manipulation and corruption, as well as other criminal activities in sport.

CSCF Sport Integrity Group’s experts were joined by specialists from the Hungarian Prosecution Service, the Portuguese Judicial Police, the Hungarian Basketball Federation and Szerencsejáték Zrt, and the Hungarian state lottery. The presenters introduced participants to the crimes inherent in the manipulation of sport, the growing risk of e-sport manipulation, and betting issues associated with manipulation. The presenters also shared methods of best practice derived from cases in Hungary and Portugal.

Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF Sport Integrity Group, who was the moderator and one of the sport manipulation experts on this event, commented: “When we connect wrongdoings to the sport domain, we may be tempted to leave sport to protect itself with no external support. Looking at the issues international sport has been facing in the last decade, we can see that this approach, while generally effective with regard to disciplinary measures, leaves a caveat with regard to non-disciplinary actions. Sport organisations should not be expected to be equipped to fight against organized criminal groups alone. This would endanger athletes and sport management, expecting them to take on, in some way, the role of law enforcement. Outside the disciplinary jurisdiction, taking on such criminals is the duty of law enforcement.

The key to this endeavour being successful is awareness and knowledge: the investigators should know not only that there is an actual crime allegedly committed but they should also understand it and be able to relate it to the modus operandi they have already likely seen in other areas. Our aim through this symposium was to facilitate understanding by law enforcement officers of the potential crimes through misuse of sport and to understand the background and underlying issues”

CSCF highlighted topical integrity issues in sport and emphasized e-sport in particular, given the unique risk factors that make it a tantalizing target for criminal activity. E-sport has rapidly evolved from an entertainment platform with minimal following. The popularity, revenue, and betting now rivals, even surpasses, that of traditional sports. The disjointed regulatory scene will continue to be abused by criminals who, throughout history and across culture, prove themselves adept at changing tactics to exploit vulnerabilities in other contexts.

The symposium is the first edition of the educational pathway that will prepare the Hungarian law enforcement for sport manipulation and sport related criminal activities. The next event takes place in November 2022.

Click here to read The National Protective Service of Hungary communications statement