Preventing Corruption In Sport

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9th November 2010, 08:00am - Views: 5369





Misc Miscellaneous Law Society Of NSW 1 image




            Preventing corruption in sport


Tuesday, 9 November, 2010


The Federal and State Governments need to overhaul gambling laws to help prevent

corruption in sport, the President of the Law Society of NSW, Mary Macken, said today.


Ms Macken said it was time to introduce a nationally consistent regulatory and legislative

framework that kept up to speed with recent changes in gambling technology.


On the day of the Law Society of NSW’s Sports Law Conference in Sydney, Ms Macken

said legislative changes on a national level were required to preserve the integrity of

Australian sport and combat match-fixing.


“Regulation rather than prohibition is the key to preventing corruption in sport,” she said. 


“We need a national framework that regulates all forms of sports betting as well as

tougher sanctions for the match-fixers and a national body that has the power to

investigate illegal activities,” she said.


“The rapid emergence of online technologies has increased the volume of sports betting

and the ways in which people can bet. But it has also made it more difficult to monitor

and police.


“Of particular concern is the ‘exotic wagering on micro outcomes’ and the threat it

imposes to the integrity of sport.”


Ms Macken said legislation introduced in the UK in 2005 could provide the Federal

Government with an appropriate model for updating the Interactive Gambling Act (2001).


Ms Macken also said she supported the Australian Olympic Committee’s (AOC)

introduction of strict rules in its Team Agreements, banning athletes, coaches and

officials from betting during an Olympic event.


“But this should be extended to cover all major sports in Australia.” 


A report on tackling illegal gambling will be released later this month by the Coalition of

Major Sports (COMPS) –

rugby league, rugby union, AFL, netball, tennis, football and

cricket. 


The Sports Law Conference will feature a keynote address by The Hon. John Fahey AC.

President, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).



Media contact - Kai Ianssen: 02 9926 0288 or 0413 440 699. 






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