One of the most important aspects of sports is the thrill of the game. You hope your team will win, and the unpredictability of it all is what makes it so exciting. Sports spectators expect a fair game and for the best team or player to win.
In times when the integrity of sports is under scrutiny, a narrative of inspiration emerges from a group of young football players who excelled not only on the field but also in the realm of ethical sports principles. Supported by the United Lotteries for Integrity in Sports (ULIS), the junior team of FC Versoix embarked on a journey that transcended the boundaries of the football field.
Raising awareness is the first step towards success
ULIS believes that training and education are key to raising awareness of integrity-related issues and preventing competition manipulation.
In a recent project, ULIS provided training to the young football players of the Football Club Versoix (FC Versoix) in Geneva, Switzerland, about the importance of maintaining the core ethical values of sports and integrity principles from the early stage of their career development.
ULIS General Secretary, Luca Esposito, carried out the team training and emphasized the need for the players to give their best at the training and during matches, not to underestimate the importance of always playing professionally, and above all, to ensure the result of the game is fair.
Esposito stressed the importance of raising awareness in young athletes to both protect them, and help maintain integrity in sports, noting: “Athletes of any age may be approached to participate in sports competition manipulation. This type of awareness raising is especially important for young athletes, to prepare them from the start of their sports career, to fight the growing problem of match fixing and maintaining integrity in sport.”
Inspiration beyond the trophy
Educational sessions can instill in athletes a clear understanding that their actions on the field reflect their values off it. Each match throughout the tournament of the Geneva Junior Championship became an opportunity for FC Versoix to demonstrate the power of sportsmanship, and ethical principles. Coincidence or not, the journey of the young players culminated in winning the tournament.
The lessons learned from this successful initiative, although restricted to the context of a local junior championship, have an inspirational value. Their journey, crowned with a tournament victory, underscores the importance of extending the focus beyond physical excellence to encompass integrity education.
More about ULIS services
ULIS services include:
- Educational programs and tools target multiple audiences, from lotteries and the betting industry to state regulators, athletes, law enforcement agencies and judicial authorities, and include seminars, workshops, projects, trainings and active collaboration with diverse partners to implement and disseminate useful information.
- 24-hour monitoring sports betting patterns around the world.
- Support for investigations of the manipulation of sports competitions by providing evidence, based on intelligence, and produces reports concerning the integrity of the event.
- Knowledge and expertise for the promotion, development and implementation of sports betting policies and regulations worldwide.
