EU spreekt zich uit tegen afkopen sportwedstrijden (en)

A joint declaration aimed at addressing the scourge of match-fixing was adopted today in Lefkosia (Nicosia) at the EU i Sport Forum by the Cyprus Presidency, the European Commission and the participants of the Forum. The declaration builds on the Conclusions adopted by sports ministers during the November 2011 Council meeting under the Polish Presidency and constitutes the culmination of a cooperation effort between the Cyprus Presidency and the European Commission with the EU Sport Forum delegates.

The result of the deliberations between the Cyprus Presidency, the Commission and the participants of the EU Sport Forum is a five-point declaration on the fight against match-fixing. The declaration stresses that addressing the issue of match-fixing “necessitates effective and sustained action”, outlining the five key areas for which initiatives should be developed. The five areas are:

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  Education, Prevention and Good Governance
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  Monitoring
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  Sanctions
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  Cooperation
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  International coordination

You can read the full text of the joint declaration here.

A compass for future action

The Declaration will remain on the European sports agenda and provide the compass for decisions and actions in the fight against the scourge of match-fixing that threatens the credibility and integrity of the entire sports structure.

"The general position is that this declaration is just the start, a very sound basis upon which we can build in order to combat this massive threat to the integrity of sport throughout the whole world and certainly in Europe,” said Mr. Pambos Stylianou, the Chairman of the Cyprus Sports Association.

During the Sports Forum, discussions centred on current issues affecting the sports movement, such as match-fixing, doping, the European social dialogue and the development of principles of good governance in sport. EU Sports Ministers provided significant input during Thursday’s joint session with the participants of the Sport Forum.

The EU Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism, Youth, Mrs Androulla Vassiliou i, who is also responsible for sport, was present during the afternoon deliberations and will also attend the meeting between EU Sports Ministers on Friday, September 21.

According to Mrs. Vassiliou, the battle against match-fixing could not be underestimated.

"If we are not careful and we do not protect the integrity of sport then its very soul will be destroyed. We all agreed that we need to pool our efforts, all of the authorities must work together. There is no country unaffected and it would be naïve to think that anyone can be excluded from this fight," she said.

The annual European Sport Forum hosted more than 300 participants from European institutions and the sports movement including executives from the international and European Olympic Committees as well as European federations. The Forum, which was established as an annual event in 2007, is the largest platform for exchanging views on issues of sport in the EU, with the intention of providing more effective structures for sport at EU level.