The International Centre for Sport Security says it has received over 50 reports of sport misconduct in the first six months of its integrity hotline.
The sporting think tank launched the hotline in December 2017 as a secure, anonymous way to report instances of manipulation, breach of integrity, and wrongdoing in sport. The hotline was designed to receive reports about “match fixing, doping, sexual exploitation, corrupt club ownership practices, human trafficking and other accusations of criminal activity”.
The hotline was established by the ICSS’ Sport Integrity Unit to help athletes, fans and those involved in the sports industry to report misconduct and sport integrity issues, in line with its mission to safeguard sport. The platform is managed by specialist ethics and case-management agency, WhistleBlower Security, who operate the hotline around the clock, fielding confidential reports via phone, e-mail and online. Only the Sport Integrity Unit has access to the incoming reports and the management of cases.
Reports to date have included allegations of match fixing, doping, sexual exploitation, corrupt club ownership practices, human trafficking and other accusations of criminal activity in a wide variety of sports. The SIU, under its remit to investigate allegations of misconduct and integrity violations across several areas adversely affecting sport, has carried out a provisional analysis of all claims and any supporting evidence provided.
A risk matrix has been applied and cases will be referred to law enforcement agencies, international sports organisations and national bodies as appropriate, while others are under active investigation by the SIU. As a next step, the Sport Integrity Unit will hold intelligence sharing meetings with international and national sporting partners as well as law enforcement agencies to commence investigational exchanges.
While specific details of all active investigations are confidential, the ICSS is pleased that so many members of the international sporting community have felt empowered to report allegations of misconduct and integrity issues in sport through the hotline. This strong uptake of the service over the first six months shows faith in the ICSS’s ability to effectively and confidentially manage sensitive and complex investigations and reflects the growing demand for independent investigations and intelligence services within the sports industry.
