Experts Urge Creation Of Agency Against Corruption & Crime In World Sport

Almost 200 experts have called for the establishment of an agency to combat it Corruption and crime in world sport in response to a play the game Opinion poll.

Play the Game, a Danish government-backed initiative to promote democracy, transparency and freedom of expression in world sport, today published a report entitled ClearingSport: Towards an agency to fight crime and protect integrity in world sport.

Written by a German journalist, the report is based on more than 800 comments from a Play the Game survey of 251 world sport experts and stakeholders on fighting corruption and crime Grit Hartmanconveys an overwhelming message from experts.

Jens Sejer AndersenInternational Director of Play the Game says:

“The response was overwhelming. Eight out of ten participants not only completed the questionnaire, but also submitted more than 800 thoughtful comments to Play the Game, demonstrating their expertise, dedication and creativity. We now have unique material, prepared by some of the sport’s most knowledgeable experts, analyzing how an international agency can best solve the wide range of challenges that sport has not been able or unwilling to deal with effectively.”

Jens Sejer Andersen – Image courtesy of Play the Game

In announcing ClearingSport, Hartmann noted:

“For more than 20 years, international sports scandals have raised public concerns about how leaders in the Olympic movement are handling the multi-billion dollar business and political power that international sport has become. Backroom bribery, organized crime, political manipulation, match-fixing and various forms of athlete abuse regularly make headlines, while new and technologically advanced forms of sports fraud and financial crime are on the rise.”

Grit Hartmann – Image courtesy of Grit Hartmann

Last year, Hartmann prepared a study on the recent history of the most important corruption scandals in sport and the previous initiatives to combat cross-border sports crime. The study for a member of the European Parliament Viola by Cramonformed the basis of the questions in ClearingSport.

At the Play the Game 2022 conference, a number of eminent international experts called on Play the Game to launch an open consultation process to examine the feasibility of an international agency against all forms of corruption in sport – with the exception of doping, which has been in force since 1999 of the hands of World Anti-Doping Agency WADA, which has also come under pressure to engage in review and reform.

“This invitation from our participants came as a surprise to us. We have advocated such an agency since 2006, only to find that it was rejected not only by the international sports movement, which is to be expected, but also by governments unwilling to put more time and energy into what they saw as their own fault Investing problems of sport,” said Jens Sejer Andersen.

Doesn’t matter. “Play the Game” continued, and Andersen pointed out that what the organization heard from experts at its 2022 conference convinced everyone involved that an independent agency to combat the blight was long overdue. He added:

“It is evident that abuse, crime and corruption in sport are dangerous not only for the sport itself, but for society as a whole. When a sector with such great financial, political and cultural power as sport becomes a haven for lawbreakers, it is dangerous for the smooth functioning of democratic societies and the rule of law. Therefore, governments and sport must find binding mechanisms to rid sport of these threats.”

Jens Sejer Andersen. Image: Red warning by Patrick B. Kraemer

Next steps on corruption and crime for Play the Game 2024

Play the Game noted in its announcement that the responses from experts speak volumes about the current sports policy climate: “The high response rate is a sign of growing impatience and frustration among those who take the fight against sports crime seriously.” The fact that almost half of those surveyed responded anonymously may well indicate that they suspect the sporting environment does not welcome open discussion on these sensitive issues.”

The ClearingSport report on corruption is not a quick fix, says Play the Game. It considers the pros and cons, “advantages and barriers” of various actions that could be taken. ClearingSport presents a range of potential roadmaps and possible roles for a global agency.

The name ClearingSport replaces the old working title of Play the Games’ cleanup project, WACA: World Anti-Corruption Agency, for a number of reasons, the organization said. Among the explanations:

• “ClearingSport” is active, descriptive and easy to say
• It’s not an acronym that needs explaining
• It is associated with the terms “clearing house” and transparency
• It cannot be confused with WADA
• The name carries sports

Further consultations are ongoing en route to the Play the Game 2024 conference in Trondheim, Norway on February 4-7.

Read/Download the ClearingSport report in full