integrisport-cyprus

Integrisport Erasmus+ Awareness raising seminar organised in the Netherlands

by with No Comment Integrisport

On November 9 and 10 2020, the 7th Awareness Raising Session on the subject of manipulation of sports competitions (match fixing) and other sport criminal offences (corruption, fraud, money laundering and conspiracy) of the IntegriSport Erasmus+ project was held, organised on this occasion by the Ministry of Security and Justice of the Netherlands and coordinated by the CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity.

“Based on the fact-finding work in this project and on my own experience, there is a clear need to make the issue of manipulation in sport a bigger priority in the Netherlands in order to fight it effectively!” was the key message by Mr. Chiel Warners, Information Coordinator/Program Director Match-fixing of the Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands. Due to the current circumstances and to ensure the protection of the health of all participants, CSCF together with the host Ministry, decided to carry out the event entirely online. In this way, the session brought together prominent speakers both nationally and internationally with expertise in the application of the law in the context of sport, sport policy, sport betting, virtual currencies as threats of sports manipulation, and athletes against sport manipulation, inter alia.

As has been the case with previous IntegriSport Erasmus+ awareness sessions in each of the six other partner countries, this seminar offered law enforcement officials and judicial authorities a unique setting to exchange experiences as well as to leverage knowledge and cooperation on how to address activities that fundamentally undermine the integrity, value and credibility of sport. As a result, Mr. Warners, as coordinator of the Dutch National Platform, emphasised that “this IntegriSport session was only the first where it comes to the sharing of experiences and knowledge. As soon as circumstances permit, it will be followed up with more in-depth, case-based discussion held face to face.”

Furthermore, Norbert Rubicsek J.D., former Lieutenant Colonel and now director of CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity, emphasised “the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and private organisations such as those representing athletes, the sports movement and the world of betting to understand the different point of views, but the mutual goal of fighting against the manipulation of sports competitions”.

On behalf of IntegriSport Erasmus+, CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity, as the project coordinator, would like to extend a special thanks and appreciation to the guest speakers and project partners: Global Lottery Monitoring System – GLMS, EU Athletes, Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands, The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), the Dutch Police, the Federal Prosecutor ́s Office of the Kingdom of Belgium and Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. These discussions were vital in engaging law enforcement with relevant stakeholders and better identifying various operational and cooperation issues.

INTERPOL also intervened in support of IntegriSport, highlighting the need for law enforcement to use police and judicial cooperation channels to expand intelligence gathering and education. The session also benefited from the valuable participation of FIFPRO World Players’ Union, Financial Intelligence Unit – the Netherlands (FIU), Gaming Authority, Instituut Sport Rechtspraak (ISR), the Royal Dutch Lawn Tennis Association (KNLTB), the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Dutch Olympic Committee & National Sport Federation, Dutch Lottery (Nederlandse Loterij), NL Sporter, CFK, academics and the Belgian Federal Police.

Last but not least, we would like to mention that the IntegriSport journey does not end here but continues with IntergriSport Next (2021-2022)!

For more information, please contact the CSCF Projects Team:

Tel: +31 611 88 08 38,

email: integrisport@cscfsport.com

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integrisport-portugal-1

Integrisport Erasmus+ Awareness Raising Session Organized in Portugal

by with No Comment Integrisport

A 2-day Integrisport Erasmus+ Project Awareness Raising Session on combating the manipulation of sports competitions for the Policía Judiciária and the Prosecution Service of Portugal, took place in Lisbon on 18-19 February 2020. The training was co-organised by Policía Judiciária and CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity under the framework of the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme.

During the event, police officers and prosecutors discussed and exchanged ideas on good practices for fighting sport manipulation with the representatives of the invited Portuguese and international stakeholders.

Internationally recognized experts in the field of combating sports manipulations from various organizations also contributed to the success of the event through in-depth presentations. Experts included representatives from Polícia Judiciária, EU Athletes, Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS), CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity, as well as Interpol Integrity in Sport unit, the Institution of Sport and Youth of Portugal, the Portuguese Olympic Committee, Portuguese Football Federation and Betting Regulation and Inspection Service of Portugal.

Mr. Claudio Marinelli, the representative from Interpol’s Integrity in Sport, Anti-Corruption Office recognized that tackling match-fixing and other crimes in sport requires national and international cooperation between sport, public authorities, betting regulators, the gambling industry and law enforcement: INTERPOL helps bring all these stakeholders together to tackle crimes in sport.

The Council of Europe’s Convention on Manipulation of Sports Competitions and the importance of multidisciplinary cooperation on the fight against sport manipulation was introduced by the Institution of Sport and Youth of Portugal and CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity.

As Mr. Luís Neves, National Director of Polícia Judiciária said: “The fight against … manipulation of sports results is a priority of the economic and financial crime unit of Polícia Judiciária”.

“Although Polícia Judiciária have concluded some very successful cases on match fixing, we need to keep one step ahead of the criminals. Integrisport Erasmus+ is a very important project for Polícia Judiciária and the Portuguese stakeholders to be able to gain more knowledge and extend their cooperation at national and international level in order to tackle sport manipulation and clean up sport even more efficiently.” – he added.

Mr. Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF and project manager of Integrisport Erasmus+, said: “In order to fight sport manipulation effectively, law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities need to have an in-depth, targeted understanding on sport manipulation and the perspectives of other stakeholders. These are the main objectives of Integrisport Erasmus+.

The Integrisport Erasmus+ awareness raising sessions in each partner country give law enforcement officers and judicial authorities the possibility to better understand and tackle the dangers of sport manipulation to sport and the society.”

The next awareness raising session will be held in Bratislava in March 2020.

For more information, please visit:

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integrisport-finnish

Athletes against the manipulation of sports competitions

by with No Comment Integrisport

The Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports FINCIS is involved in Integrisport Erasmus+, a two-year (2019–2020) project on the prevention of the manipulation of sports competitions funded by the EU. Athletes representing the countries participating in the project have released a video where they object to the manipulation of sports competitions.

In this video, Finnish athletes are represented by the captain of the national ice hockey team Jenni Hiirikoski and wheelchair sprinter Leo-Pekka Tähti.Hiirikoski says that manipulation of sports competitions ruins sports and destroys athletes’ careers. As for Tähti, he expresses his support for the authorities in their battle against the manipulation of sports competitions. In return, he expects the authorities to support athletes when they need it.
 
 
International experts of the prevention of the manipulation of sports competitions will be training Finnish police officers and prosecutors in Helsinki this week. The aim of the training is to improve the authorities’ competence to investigate and prosecute suspected crimes related to the manipulation of sports competitions. The training complies with the Council of Europe Convention against the manipulation of sports competitions and the related guidelines.
 
“This training enables us to improve our national skills to prevent the manipulation of sports competitions. Authorities and sports require tight co-operation. Together we can provide athletes with the support they need and protect them from the manipulation of sports competitions,” says Jouko Ikonen, FINCIS Chief Investigative Officer.
 
“Integrisport Erasmus+ has been established to provide help law enforcement and judiciaries to have in-depth knowledge on sport manipulation and how to fight against it. The Project also aims to provide a unique opportunity for the law enforcement participants to meet with the representatives of athletes, sport movement and the betting world and to understand the different point of view but mutual aim to fight against manipulation of sports competitions. It is a unique project as it addresses the key stakeholder that enforces all the regulations and laws in the protection of sport integrity,” says Norbert Rubicsek, project manager of Integrisport Erasmus+.
 
The project is coordinated by Stichting CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity and it has the support of the Council of Europe. In addition to Finland, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Lithuania, Portugal, Slovakia and Hungary are involved in the project. EU Athletes, GLMS, and Aix-Marseille University are the project’s cooperative organisations.
More information:
Susanna Sokka
FINCIS – Information Manager
tel. +358 40 740 7477
 
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integrisport-lithuania-1

‘Combating Sport Manipulation’ Awareness Raising Session for the Lithuanian Law Enforcement and Judiciary – Integrisport Erasmus+

by with No Comment Integrisport

The third awareness raising session of Integrisport Erasmus+ on combating sport manipulation and match fixing took place between 2-4 December in Vilnius, and was co-organized by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport and the Lithuanian Sport Centre, together with CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity.

During this 3-day event, which was organized in the framework of the EU-financed Project Integrisport Erasmus+, the representatives of Lithuanian Law Enforcement and Judiciary had in-depth conversations and were provided with a comprehensive approach on how to combat sport manipulation and how to co-operate with domestic and international stakeholders to tackle this very serious phenomenon.

The issue of sport manipulation was introduced by representatives of Lithuanian competent authorities, such as the Ministry of Education, Science and Sport, the Lithuanian Football Federation and the Gambling Supervisory Authority, and also by international organizations, including EU Athletes, Global Lottery Monitoring System and CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, the coordinator of Integrisport Erasmus+.

The Council of Europe, as supporting partner of Integrisport Erasmus+, presented the Convention on Manipulation of Sports Competition and the international aspect of the co-operation in this domain.

Mrs. Kornelija Tiesnesytė, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sport expressed in her opening speech that “it is very important unite forces in fight agains sport integrity threats. Sport is crosssectoral phenomena and I hope this seminar will help Lithuanian law enforcement officers and prosecutors to recognize patterns of match-fixing while investigating other crimes. The seminar is also a chance to strengthen cooperation at national and international level and exchange good practice.”

Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF and Integrisport Erasmus+ project manager added, “Criminal procedures in sport manipulation- related cases are unique: they are frequently committed in two or more countries and involve, in some way or another, the competencies of the private sector, of which sport is one. This is why national and trans-national co-operation amongst law enforcement and judiciary and other governmental organizations on the one hand and the private sector on the other hand, is a vital step in the fight against this phenomenon.”

The Integrisport Erasmus+ awareness raising sessions in each partner country give law enforcement officers and judicial authorities the chance to better understand and tackle the dangers of sport manipulation to sport and to society. Project partners include Cyprus Police, Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS), Rapid Response and Special Police Force – Hungary, National Tax and Customs Administration – Hungary, Ministry of Security and Justice – the Netherlands, The Lithuanian Sport Centre– Lithuania, Ministry of Justice – Judicial Police – Portugal, Presidium of the Police Force, Ministry of Interior – Slovak Republic, GLMS – The Global Lottery Monitoring System, EU Athletes, Aix-Marseille University – Centre of Sport and the coordinator, Stichting CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity, and the Council of Europe (CoE) as a supporting organisation. Integrisport is also a partner project of the KCOOS+ project of the CoE.

The next awareness raising session will be held in Helsinki in February 2020.

For more information, please visit:

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hungary-1

Integrisport Erasmus+ Awareness Raising Session Organized in Hungary

by with No Comment Integrisport

The Rapid Response and Special Police Services, National Bureau of Investigation, the National Tax and Customs Administration together with CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity co-organized an awareness raising session on combating sport manipulation and match fixing in the framework of Integrisport Erasmus+ from 12th to 14th of November in Budapest.

During the 3-day training organized specially for members of the Hungarian Police, as well as the National Tax and Customs Administration, the Hungarian Prosecution Service and judges of the Hungarian Criminal Court, within the EU co-funded project, participants had an open discussion on sport manipulation and match fixing and how this phenomenon has been affecting Hungary. International experts including the Vice Federal Prosecutor of the Belgian Federal Prosecution Service and representatives from the EU Athletes and Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) and from the coordinator of Integrisport Erasmus+, CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity. animated the exchange. Their contributions were accompanied by national expertise from the Hungarian Football Federation, the Hungarian Football Player’s Union, the Hungarian Lottery, Szerencsejáték Zrt, the National Bureau of Investigation and the Hungarian Prosecution Service.

The Hungarian Police and CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity also informed the participants of the activities of the Hungarian National Platform related to the Council of Europe Convention on Manipulations of Sports Competitions including international co-operation.

As Lt. Colonel Zita Zmolnik, Deputy Director of the National Investigation Bureau, said in her opening speech: “National and international law enforcement and judicial co-operation, and the common thought of relevant public stakeholders and the private sector, are vital in order to successfully fight against this special type of crime phenomenon.” In order to combat sport manipulation, law enforcement and judicial authorities need to be prepared. This is where Integrisport Erasmus+ has an important role: by providing awareness raising to law enforcement agencies, which is crucial to achieve this aim.

Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF and Integrisport Erasmus+ project manager added, “Law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities are the primary stakeholders involved in the investigative and court phases of criminal law cases of manipulations of sports competitions. It is therefore extremely important that on the one hand they are well prepared and informed and on the other hand, that other stakeholders fully understand the role of these key stakeholders. Law enforcement and judiciary are the link to completing the chain in a sports manipulation criminal case and are also a vital link in identifying legislation that needs to be in place to effectively combat manipulations of sports competitions.

The Integrisport Erasmus+ awareness raising sessions in each partner country give law enforcement officers and judicial authorities the possibility to better understand and tackle the dangers of sport manipulation to sport and the society. Project partners include Cyprus Police, Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS), Rapid Response and Special Police Force – Hungary, National Tax and Customs Administration – Hungary, Ministry of Security and Justice – the Netherlands, The Department of Physical Education and Sports – Lithuania, Ministry of Justice – Judicial Police – Portugal, Presidium of the Police Force, Ministry of Interior – Slovak Republic, GLMS – The Global Lottery Monitoring System, EU Athletes, Aix-Marseille University – Centre of Sport and the coordinator, Stichting CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity and the Council of Europe (CoE) as a supporting organisation. Integrisport is also a partner project of the KCOOS+ project of the CoE.

The next awareness raising session will be held in Vilnius in December 2019.

For more information, please visit:

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integrisport-netherlands

Integrisport Erasmus+ Awareness Raising Session Organized in Cyprus

by with No Comment Integrisport

A 3-day Integrisport Erasmus+ Project Awareness Raising Session for law enforcement officers and judicial authorities of Cyprus on combating manipulation of sports competitions took place in Nicosia on 18-20 September 2019. The training was co-organised by Cyprus Police and CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity in the framework of the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union.

During the event, participants discussed the sport manipulation and match-fixing situation in Cyprus and engaged in lively exchange on good practices on fighting the phenomenon. Internationally recognized experts in the field of combating sports manipulations from various organizations, also contributed to the success of the event through concrete presentations. Experts included representatives from EU Athletes, Global Lottery Monitoring System (GLMS) and CSCF-Foundation for Sport Integrity as well as the law enforcement agencies and prosecutor’s offices of France, the Netherlands and Portugal. The Council of Europe, as a supporting partner of Integrisport Erasmus+ was also represented and delivered a presentation on the Macolin Convention and international co-operation regarding the fight against sport manipulation.

As Mr. Kypros Michaelides, Chief of Cyprus Police shared in his opening speech: “Integrisport Erasmus+project is very important for Cyprus Police and the Cypriot stakeholders in general as there is a need for more information, more coordination and more improvement in the areas of legislation regarding battling manipulations of sports competitions, corruption and the protection of whistle blowers. Integrisport Event is considered a very important initiative to provide awareness for law enforcement in combating sports manipulation and also to improve the discussions on the creation of a National Platform. Esteem speakers from all over EU member states have increased the importance of the three-day event”. The Chief also thanked the famous athletes for taking part in the short film which was prepared for dissemination purposes.

Norbert Rubicsek, director of CSCF, project manager of Integrisport Erasmus+ added: “As tackling sport manipulation requires a multi-stakeholder effort that impacts on so many different legal areas, law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities need to have an in-depth, targeted understanding from the perspectives of other stakeholders and should be able to possess all tools possible to address the issue in investigations and in courts.”

The Integrisport Erasmus+ awareness raising sessions in each partner country give law enforcement officers and judicial authorities the possibility to better understand and tackle the dangers of sport manipulation to sport and the society.

The next awareness raising session will be held in Budapest in November 2019.

For more information, please visit:

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integrisport-closing

Project Closing Conference: Sports manipulations and criminal activities impacting sport

by with No Comment Integrisport

IntegriSport Erasmus+ project (2019-2020) came to an end with its closing event organized by project co-ordination, CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, on Wednesday 10th March, on the topic of sports manipulations and criminal activities impacting sports. The event was hosted and opened by the Portuguese EU Presidency and included keynote speeches from the Portuguese Judicial Police, Interpol and interventions by the project partners, including national law enforcement, GLMS, University of Aix-Marseille and EU Athletes.

“Based on the fact-finding work in this project and on my own experience, there is a clear need to make the issue of manipulation in sport a bigger priority in the Netherlands in order to fight it effectively!” was the key message by Mr. Chiel Warners, Information Coordinator/Program Director Match-fixing of the Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands. Due to the current circumstances and to ensure the protection of the health of all participants, CSCF together with the host Ministry, decided to carry out the event entirely online. In this way, the session brought together prominent speakers both nationally and internationally with expertise in the application of the law in the context of sport, sport policy, sport betting, virtual currencies as threats of sports manipulation, and athletes against sport manipulation, inter alia.

As has been the case with previous IntegriSport Erasmus+ awareness sessions in each of the six other partner countries, this seminar offered law enforcement officials and judicial authorities a unique setting to exchange experiences as well as to leverage knowledge and cooperation on how to address activities that fundamentally undermine the integrity, value and credibility of sport. As a result, Mr. Warners, as coordinator of the Dutch National Platform, emphasised that “this IntegriSport session was only the first where it comes to the sharing of experiences and knowledge. As soon as circumstances permit, it will be followed up with more in-depth, case-based discussion held face to face.”

Furthermore, Norbert Rubicsek J.D., former Lieutenant Colonel and now director of CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity, emphasised “the importance of cooperation between law enforcement agencies and private organisations such as those representing athletes, the sports movement and the world of betting to understand the different point of views, but the mutual goal of fighting against the manipulation of sports competitions”.

On behalf of IntegriSport Erasmus+, CSCF – Foundation for Sport Integrity, as the project coordinator, would like to extend a special thanks and appreciation to the guest speakers and project partners: Global Lottery Monitoring System – GLMS, EU Athletes, Ministry of Justice and Security in the Netherlands, The Fiscal Information and Investigation Service (FIOD), the Dutch Police, the Federal Prosecutor ́s Office of the Kingdom of Belgium and Netherlands Public Prosecution Service. These discussions were vital in engaging law enforcement with relevant stakeholders and better identifying various operational and cooperation issues.

INTERPOL also intervened in support of IntegriSport, highlighting the need for law enforcement to use police and judicial cooperation channels to expand intelligence gathering and education. The session also benefited from the valuable participation of FIFPRO World Players’ Union, Financial Intelligence Unit – the Netherlands (FIU), Gaming Authority, Instituut Sport Rechtspraak (ISR), the Royal Dutch Lawn Tennis Association (KNLTB), the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Dutch Olympic Committee & National Sport Federation, Dutch Lottery (Nederlandse Loterij), NL Sporter, CFK, academics and the Belgian Federal Police.

Last but not least, we would like to mention that the IntegriSport journey does not end here but continues with IntergriSport Next (2021-2022)!

This media release was published by the Counter Sport Corruption Foundation for Sport Integrity (CSCF) on 12 March 2021. Click here for the original.

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