IOC partners with UNODC to fight corruption, crime in sport

To fight crime and corruption in sport, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to further strengthen the cooperation between the two organizations.

The agreement has a particular focus on preventing youth crime, violence and drug use through sport. The document was signed today (November 9) at the Olympic House in Lausanne, Switzerland, by IOC President Thomas Bach and UNODC Executive Director Ghada Waly.

The IOC and UNODC have a long-standing relationship. The two organizations regularly review the effectiveness of their joint initiatives and develop them further to address new trends and needs.

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The new MoU, signed on Tuesday, is set to remain in force until the end of 2025 and covers various areas of cooperation. It includes supporting capacity-building, training programs, awareness-raising events and related initiatives aimed at tackling corruption and crime in sports and within sports organizations. It also addresses the manipulation of sports competitions, as well as preventing youth crime, violence and drug use through sport.

It covers exchanging information and expertise, including through participation in conferences, regular meetings, contribution to studies, development of technical tools and publications regarding tackling corruption and crime in sport, as well as preventing youth crime, violence and drug use through sport.

MoU to enhance sport's contribution to development

The MoU includes supporting activities to enhance sport's contribution to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. It also aims to promote sport for development and peace through joint programming, in the context of the Olympic and Paralympic Games and other sports events.

The MoU was signed on the sidelines of the fourth edition of the International Forum for Sports Integrity (IFSI). The IFSI brings together over 500 stakeholders representing the Olympic Movement, intergovernmental agencies, governments, the betting industry and other sectors.

All four intergovernmental organizations specializing in anti-corruption participated with high-level representatives: the UNODC, the Council of Europe (CoE), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and INTERPOL.