UNESCO and ICSS to host joint meeting to follow up on Declaration of Berlin recommendations in the fight against match-fixing
© Kat B CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
UNESCO and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) will host the first technical meeting on the manipulation of sports competitions as a follow-up on the recommendations and commitments of the Declaration of Berlin, adopted in 2013 by the 5th World Conference of Sport Ministers (MINEPS V).
Taking place in Doha, Qatar, on 16 and 17 September, this landmark meeting on match fixing in sport will gather over 60 government officials, international experts and leaders in sport.
Hailed as a beacon for future national and international sports policy, the Declaration of Berlin was adopted by 600 participants from 121 countries at the 5th UNESCO World Sport Ministers Conference (MINEPS V) in May 2013. It seeks to improve and enhance international cooperation between governments and all other sport stakeholders on issues of access, investment and integrity of sport.
Some of the key recommendations outlined within the Declaration of Berlin with respect to the fight against the manipulation of sports competitions include:
- Improved sports governance
- Zero-tolerance policy within the sport movement, especially against doping and the manipulation of sports competitions
- Greater collaboration in the early detection of manipulation
- Preventive measures and monitoring in accordance with national and international law
- An effective, proportionate disciplinary regulation combined with specific national and international legislation
Ms Ângela Melo, Director, Division for Youth Ethics and Sport, Sector for Social and Human Sciences of UNESCO said: “Sport can be a powerful vehicle for social inclusion, reconciliation and peace, gender equality, and youth empowerment, with benefits that extend far beyond the grounds of stadiums. There is nothing like sport to bring women and men from different cultures together around the shared values of fair play, mutual respect and team spirit; sport has a universal language.”
”The transmission of the social values of sport and the activation of its various individual and collective benefits is subject to the protection of its credibility and integrity.”
ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab said: “It is a great honour for the ICSS to host this meeting with UNESCO and follow-up on the historic recommendations outlined in the Declaration of Berlin in the fight against match-fixing.
“Gathering technical experts and officials from all four corners of the globe, this meeting will be the first significant stepping-stone towards realising the vision of MINEPS V and will provide an important platform to strengthen international policy to combat manipulation in sport.”
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NOTE TO EDITORS
More information on the follow-up to the Declaration and MINEPS V can be found at www.unesco.org/shs/followup_mineps .
About UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) provides the Secretariat for the International Convention against Doping in Sport, ratified by over 170 Member States of UNESCO.
It convenes the World Conferences of Sport Ministers (MINEPS) and assists Member States in implementing the recommendations of these conferences.
See: www.unesco.org/shs/sport , follow us on twitter at @unesco.
Media Contact: George Papagiannis, UNESCO, g.papagiannis(at)unesco.org +33 (0)1 45 68 17 06
About the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS)
The ICSS is a globally-renowned and respected leader in sport safety, security and integrity.
As an independent and non-profit organisation, the ICSS is at the forefront of efforts to safeguard sport and is an integral player in addressing critical issues in sport such as major event safety and venue security, match-fixing and betting fraud. See: www.theicss.org , follow us on twitter at @the_ICSS.
Media Contact: Will Shand, ICSS, will.shand(at)theicss.org +974 333 416 55 / +44 77 52 73 1548
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