EC / IRIS - AUSTRIA SEMINAR “FIGHT AGAINST MATCH

EC / IRIS - AUSTRIA
SEMINAR “FIGHT AGAINST MATCH-FIXING”
Date: 13 November 2013
Place: Vienna (Austria)
Participants: cf. appendix
Main issues raised during the seminar:
Level of match-fixing risk and awareness:
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The match-fixing risk in Austria is considered by the participants as quite high (a
few participants even think that it is very high);
Austria just faced a match-fixing case the day before the seminar (a former
international football player allegedly blackmailed several first division players
aiming to fix matches);
According to participants, awareness about match-fixing issues still has to be
improved. Except football, several sports federations claimed the Iris seminar
was the first one to tackle match fixing;
More generally, according to most participants, there is still a certain lack of
information, education and prevention about match-fixing in Austria;
Who has to fight against match fixing?
-
-
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In Austria, public authorities determine a general framework for sport but
respect the autonomy of sports organisations, including sports disciplinary rules.
There is a very good cooperation between public bodies and sports organisations
in the country. The sports movement seems to be ready to accept public
intervention in case of public order risks (for instance intrusion of organised
Crime within sports structures). The idea to develop new strong measures to
protect sports integrity and to share information in an international cooperative
way is seen as important by all participants. Austria strongly supports the idea of
an international convention to fight against match fixing and is actively involved
in the negotiations.
The role of Play Fair code (Verein zur Wahrung der Integrität im Sport) looks
very important regarding the match-fixing issues, mostly through the education
and information programme that has been drafted for the sports federations, and
first of all for the professional football (Bundes Liga). The National Olympic
Committee (Österreischische Olympisches Comité) obliges every athlete to sign a
contract where match-fixing issues are included. Federations nevertheless
recognize that there is still a lack of common rules (betting prohibition for sports
actors, inside information, etc.).
In Austria, participants asked for practical tools to answer the following
questions: How is it possible to avoid that friends of sport actors bet on their
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competition? Who is the best person to speak with in case of an approach? What
are the dangers to report an approach?
Match fixing and betting:
-
-
In Austria, several participants seemed to have a quite good knowledge about
betting;
In the country, the betting market is not ruled by the gaming legislation because
betting is not considered as a game of chance. Therefore the State doesn’t
currently fight against illegal betting. For several participants, illegal betting is a
main issue;
For many representatives of the sports federation and of the State, restricting
betting is a main issue: One person even suggested a prohibition on fixed odds
betting and of course live betting. More generally, some participants called for an
enhanced cooperation between sports federations and betting companies (and
first of all with the Österreischische Lotterien) on match fixing. It could for
example be interesting to determine the types of bets that could be offered on a
responsible way by betting operators (the ones that are not easy to influence).
Measures to protect sports integrity:
-
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Participants give overwhelming support to education and information measures;
The Austrian Sports Organisation (BSO) has mentioned that they would like to
integrate match-fixing issues in the trainer formation.
The Play Fair Code has already been developing its own education programme. It
had initiated education sessions with 20 first and second football division teams
and considers a reinforced education plan as from next months. It has also
started a cooperation with UEFA’s monitoring system conducted by SportRadar;
Participants think that sports actors should at least not bet on their own sport,
even if it is a difficult measure to check;
In Austria, the general legislation on fraud is used for sports corruption. Let’s
notice that many participants advocated for a specific criminal offence regarding
match fixing, noting that currently supplying the required proof is rather difficult.
For the representative of the Ministry of Interior, it is important that other
countries also introduce a criminal offence to be able to cooperate at an
international level.
Measures
Existing (Yes / No)
Betting: Fight against illegal
betting
Betting: Authorised list of bets
Betting: Other restrictions (pay
out, stakes)
Sport: Education programs
NO (regional legislation doesn’t concern games of chance –
“Glückspielgesetz”)
NO (but Österreischsche Lotterien implements self-limitations)
NO (but Österreischsche Lotterien implements self-limitations,
especially strong pay out rates limitations)
YES (implemented by the Play Fair code for football – in
progress for other sports including Confederation of sports)
At the moment, only football seems to have implemented some
rules in their disciplinary code (based on FIFA and UEFA rules)
NO
Betting prohibition for sport
actors
Conflicts of interest: Disclosure
of inside information
Integrity officer
Sport: Prohibition to control
betting operators
Criminal offence & Sanctions
YES for football
NO
NO specific offence for sports fraud (Criminal Code on Frauds)
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Betting: Prohibition to control
sports when bets are offered
Contract between sport and
betting
Intelligence and monitoring
NO
NO compulsory
YES (through ÖL / ELMS)
Next steps and recommendations:
-
Austria may possibly look into the 6 following priority items:
o Implementation of cooperation at a national level, for example through
the National Olympic Committee. This recommendation has been
suggested by the President of the ÖL and was followed by many
participants;
o Appointment of an “integrity officer” in each “big” sports organisation, not
only in football;
o Set up some model rules for all the federations, for example conflicts of
interest rules (and first of all betting prohibition for all the sports
stakeholders);
o Survey about a need of enhanced criminal disclosure on sports fraud
(work to be done in cooperation between the sports movement and the
public authorities, and first of all the Justice and the Police);
o Developing enhanced cooperation between sports organisations and
sports betting operators about betting expertise and betting related risks.
The Austrian cooperation could target to determine a “responsible betting
framework”.
o Develop a concrete “actionplan” for Austria with all the relevant
stakeholders. Someone has to take the leading role.
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APPENDIX
LIST OF PARTICIPANTS
Evangelos Alexandrakis
Sport Executive Secretary, European Lotteries
[email protected]
Bakalar Hanna
Sektion Sport im Sportministerium, Abteilung V/1
[email protected]
Gernot Baumgartner
Vereinigung der Fußballer
[email protected]
Clemens Burianek
Richter, Bundesministerium für Justiz – Sektion IV Strafrecht
[email protected]
Dieter Csefan
Stv. Leiter Büro 3.1, Bundeskriminalamt
[email protected]
Rena Eckart
Generalsekretärin, Badminton Verband
[email protected]
Claus Farnberger
Stv. Leiter Abteilung V/1, Sektion Sport im Sportministerium
[email protected]
Ilan Fellmann
Abteilung V/1, Sektion Sport im Sportministerium
[email protected]
Marie-Christine Gehmacher
Bundesministerium für Justiz – Sektion IV Strafrecht
[email protected]
Christian Hartl
Generalsekretär Österreichischer Eishockeyverband
[email protected]
Pia Haschke
Abteilung V/1, Sektion Sport im Sportministerium
[email protected]
Thomas Hollerer
Direktion Recht und Administration, Österreichischer Fußballbund
[email protected]
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Andreas Holzer
Stv. Leiter Büro 3.1, Bundeskriminalamt
[email protected]
Elisabeth Kadlec
Assistenz Recht und Spielbetrieb, Österreichische Fußball Bundesliga
[email protected]
Christian Kalb
Direktor, CK Consulting
[email protected]
Günther Kaltenbrunner
Präsident, Verein zur Wahrung der Integrität im Sport, Play Fair Code
[email protected]
Samo Kobenter
Sektionsleiter, Sektion Sport im Sportministerium
[email protected]
Hermann Krist
Sportsprecher SPÖ, Abgeordneter zum Nationalrat
[email protected]
Sophie Lampl
Generalsekretärin Österreichischer Volleyballverband
[email protected]
Günther Marek
Leiter Gruppe IV/A, Bundesministerium für Inneres
[email protected]
Michael Maurer
Generalsekretär ASKÖ
[email protected]
Severin Moritzer
Geschäftsführer Verein zur Wahrung der Integrität im Sport, Play Fair Code
[email protected]
David Müller
Manager Prävention und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit, Nationale Antidoping Agentur Austria
[email protected]
Rudolf Novotny
Vereinigung der Fußballer
[email protected]
Hans Rinner
Präsident Österreichische Fußball Bundesliga
[email protected]
Rainer Rößlhuber
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Generalsekretär Sportunion Österreich
[email protected]
Alexander Sammer
Manager Recht, Nationale Antidoping Agentur Austria
[email protected]
Johannes Schmuckenschlager
Sportsprecher ÖVP, Abgeordneter zum Nationalrat
[email protected]
Anton Schutti
Geschäftsführer Österreichische Sporthilfe
[email protected]
Christoph Sieber
Leiter Sport, Österreichisches Olympisches Comité
[email protected]
Dietrich Sifkovits
Vorsitzender des Sportausschusses, ASVÖ
[email protected]
Barbara Spindler
Generalsekretärin Bundessportorganisation
[email protected]
Rudolf Sporrer
Generalsekretär Österreichischer Tischtennisverband
[email protected]
Friedrich Stickler
Stv. Generaldirektor Österreichische Lotterien, Präsident Europäische Lotterien
[email protected]
Kristof Szucs
Special Adviser, Sport Accord
[email protected]
Karl Thaller
Präsident Österreichischer Basketballverband
[email protected]
Orsolya Tolnay
ENGSO
[email protected]
Harald Treiber
Leiter Abteilung V/1, Sektion Sport im Sportministerium
[email protected]
Michael Trinker
Consultant
[email protected]
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Gernot Uhlir
Vorstandsassistent Österreichische Lotterien
[email protected]
Pim Verschuuren
Project coordinator, IRIS
[email protected]
Marcel Weigl
Geschäftsführer Österreichische Handball Liga
[email protected]
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