by Ryan D. Jaeger
With the issue of sports integrity and sportsbetting hitting the
headlines time and time again, professional organizations have joined together
to launch a new education campaign to help sportspeople deal with problem areas.
Groups such as the European Elite Athletes Association, the European Gaming
and Betting Association (EGBA) and the European Sports Security Association
(ESSA) have launched a unique code of conduct that includes five guidelines on
sports integrity.
These include:
- Knowing the rules.
- Never betting on themselves or their opponents.
- Playing safely by not betting on their own sports at all.
- Being careful about handling sensitive information
- Never, ever fixing a competition.
The Secretary General for EGAB, Sigrid Ligne said: "Licensed betting
operators have a vested interest in helping sports maintain the highest levels
of integrity. We also understand that athletes need to be educated to avoid
situations that could raise suspicion or even trigger corruption. We believe
this code and educational campaign are a very important first step towards
preventing these situations, and we look forward to working with the EU Athletes
and ESSA in implementing it."
The Secretary General of EU Athletes, Walter Palmer said that education for
players is an essential component in protecting and promoting sports integrity.
"This new pilot program will develop best practice in player education on
sports betting issues across Europe," he said.
