- Date
- 26 Oct 2023
- Tags
- ipacs
26 October 2023 – In the evolving landscape of 21st century sport, corruption, notably in the form of bribery, has posed a significant challenge.
In response to this pressing issue, the International Partnership Against Corruption in Sport (IPACS) has finalised a new legislative guide entitled “Legal Approaches to Tackling Bribery in Sport”, jointly prepared by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The publication is tailored to provide lawmakers, policymakers, prosecutors and key stakeholders with practical approaches, good practices and guidance to effectively combat bribery in sport.
The guide is based on a meticulous analysis of legal approaches in 180 jurisdictions worldwide, conducted by IPACS Task Force 4 with the support of 25 contributors from sports organisations, governments, intergovernmental organisations and academia. It builds on the information and data collected in the IPACS report Tackling Bribery in Sport: An Overview of Relevant Laws and Standards, published in 2021, and takes the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) as its guiding principle.
The new IPACS publication addresses the range of legal approaches at national level for countering bribery in sport-related contexts to show regional trends. It also provides in-depth analysis of jurisdictions that have in place specific legislation criminalising bribery in sport or that have adapted existing anti-bribery and anti-fraud legislation to address sporting cases.
The guide also offers recommendations and best practices to aid in the development of effective legislation and delves into critical aspects of combatting bribery in sport, including reporting standards, corporate liability and statutes of limitations.
The new IPACS guide represents a significant step forward in understanding the crime scene related to bribery in sport and gathering intelligence to combat it more effectively. It also demonstrates the commitment among different organisations in the fight against corruption and economic crime.