FIFA’s Gianni Infantino on integrity: “We have to remain on guard”

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has highlighted that the threat of match manipulation ‘has not gone away’.

Addressing the first FIFA Integrity Summit – which was held in Singapore in collaboration with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) – Infantino stated that the issue can only be tackled if the world governing body and its member associations ‘fight it together’.

In a video address played during the opening of the summit, Infantino said that, as a multi-billion dollar industry, football would always be a tempting target for criminal activity.

The Summit was a two-day event aimed at the integrity officers of the 211 MAs and the six confederations, updating them on global integrity trends, sharing best practices, and presenting the new FIFA integrity handbook and Education Roadmap.

It also explored decisions from FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) regarding match manipulation.

The President noted: “We must ensure that the playing field remains level and the game free of malevolent outside influences, because if it doesn’t, then the very existence of our beloved sport will be under threat. We have to remain on our guard.”

He also noted that FIFA had signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna, Austria, in 2020, which was renewed in New York last September.

This partnership led to the Global Integrity Programme, which aims to provide the MAs with the knowledge and tools to prevent and combat match-fixing. A key part of this commitment involves providing education and training to players, referees and integrity officers.

“FIFA is committed to preventing and sanctioning all forms of match manipulations, corruption and other unethical or illegal activities, but we can only do this with your help,” Infantino added. 

“FIFA’s Member Associations are responsible for combating and tackling match manipulation in their territories and nobody is immune from this threat.”

During the summit, participants also heard  keynote speakers from FIFA, CAS and other professionals involved in combating match manipulation, as well as representatives from other sports.

“This summit is a crucial platform for engaging in profound discussions about tackling match manipulation,” Infantino concluded.