About the event
In a significant step towards combating manipulation and criminality in sports, Romania hosted the 6th and last Awareness Raising Practical Session under Integrisport 3.0 frame. Co-organized by the Agenția Națională pentru Sport and CSCF Sport Integrity Group, the event focused on bolstering capabilities across law enforcement, judiciary, sports organizations, and ministries to protect sports integrity across Romania.
Held at the Romanian Olympic Committee, the sessions were officially opened by the president of the National Sports Agency, Elisabeta Lipa, and the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mihai Covaliu. It was attended by 100 participants, including representatives from law enforcement agencies, judiciaries, sports organizations, as well as the three Integrisport 3.0 ambassadors in Romania: Andreea Răducan, Ana-Maria Branza and Ionut Rada.
Several experts and speakers from different fields and backgrounds also shared their perspectives and insights on integrity issues. The event provided a unique opportunity for dialogue and collaboration among these diverse stakeholders, fostering a common understanding and vision for promoting integrity in sport.
Cristina Swan, ULIS Project Manager, explained how ULIS monitoring system can help combat competition manipulation and how its integrity reports can be used in investigations. The ULIS session also emphasized the need for betting regulatory frameworks based on international best practices and its expertise in collaborating with regulatory authorities worldwide.
“The session in Romania significantly contributed to enhancing knowledge and raising awareness among national stakeholders about the monitoring tools and investigative techniques available to combat competition manipulation. This marks the conclusion of a series of six sessions delivered by ULIS, which have greatly fostered international cooperation between law enforcement and the lottery betting industry.” said Swan. “ULIS is immensely proud of the outcomes achieved through this comprehensive series. We are confident that the knowledge gained during these sessions will translate into concrete measures to combat competition manipulation, ensuring fair play and preserving the spirit of sports.”
"During our sessions in Romania and the successful conclusion of our awareness series, we've reached a significant milestone in our commitment to sports integrity," said Norbert Rubicsek, director at CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity. "The dedication of Romanian stakeholders, particularly in the police and judiciary sectors, in combating sports manipulation has been impressive. This event showcased their efforts and promoted collaboration among all involved. I'm confident that such teamwork will greatly improve our ability to tackle the challenges of sports manipulation."
Key conclusion
- Understanding the complexity of challenges: Participants gained insight into the diverse challenges associated with sports manipulation and crimes within the sports realm. Recognizing these complexities enables stakeholders to develop targeted strategies for effective solutions.
- Importance of collaborative solutions: Collaboration with law enforcement and judiciary representatives in the sports industry fosters solidarity and amplifies the impact of initiatives. By sharing best practices, stakeholders identify innovative approaches to integrity issues for more robust solutions.
- Empowerment for change: The event empowered participants to champion integrity within their spheres of influence. Equipped with knowledge and resources, stakeholders are inspired to take proactive steps against misconduct in sports.
- Commitment to sustained action: Stakeholders pledged to maintain ongoing dialogue and action in promoting sports integrity.
Throughout the six sessions, which took place in six different countries, the project gathered valuable insights and contributions from various national and international stakeholders, such as Interpol, Europol, International Olympic Committee, UEFA, and others, on how to reform the fight against crime and corruption in sports and esports, and how to involve law enforcement more effectively and comprehensively.
The project has already achieved tangible results, mostly in terms of further education and strengthening the national cooperation within the partner countries. These achievements will be consolidated and disseminated in a final phase, ensuring that the benefits and learnings are shared widely and contribute to a lasting impact. This final stage will focus on solidifying the progress made and expanding the reach of our efforts, guaranteeing that the outcomes of this project will resonate well beyond its conclusion.
Project next steps
With the successful conclusion of the awareness raising practical session in Romania, Integrisport 3.0 is poised for its next exciting step: a peer-to-peer webinar for law enforcement and judiciaries that will further foster collaboration and continuous learning among project participants. This webinar will provide an additional opportunity to reflect on the topics discussed during the awareness raising practical session and further explore best practices to fight against sport manipulation.
Additionally, after the peer-to-peer webinar, the closing conference of the Integrisport 3.0 project will take place as the next significant event in the project's timeline. Scheduled for the 7th of November, this conference will reflect on the achievements and lessons learned during this journey and discuss future strategies for upholding integrity and fairness in sports. While the program may be concluding, we will continue our efforts to uphold integrity in sports and fight against sport manipulation.
