EU to set up a level playing field to stop match-fixing - 2012-09-20

The European Parliament this week agreed plans to co-ordinate legal measures right across the EU as part of a Europe-wide legal clampdown on match-fixing and money laundering in sport.

"Under European criminal law there's no common definition of the crimes involved, so match-fixers engage in 'forum shopping.'  They can move their business to those countries with low sentencing and low detection standards. We need Europe-level action to put a stop to it," said MEP Claude Moraes who sits on the European Parliament's Committee for Organised Crime, Corruption and Money Laundering.

"Sport is a multi-billion euro industry but up till now there's been extremely limited scrutiny from public authorities. This has led to an increase in corruption. This is why we need a proper Europe-wide legal framework in the fight against match-fixing and corruption in sport," Claude Moraes, who leads for Labour MEPs on Justice and Home Affairs, continued.

"Match-fixing has become a major problem across all Member States of the European Union. High profile cases involving match-fixing are reported all the time." 

The definition of match-fixing varies. Some EU member states impose minimum fines of 100 euros while others have a maximum prison sentence as low as four years.

"Over recent years, match-fixing has finally been high on the sport policy agenda. FIFA and UEFA are co-coordinating their work combating organised crime and match-fixing in sport," he added.

"Match-fixing violates the integrity and the ethics behind sport and should be recognised as a serious form of corruption. The EU can take the lead and allow for cooperation between individualMemberStates, sports organisations and betting operators and associations." 

ENDS

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