The IBIA, the largest operator-run integrity monitoring body, detected 184 alerts in 2023, a significant decrease from the revised number of 285 in 2022. With over $137bn (£108bn/€126bn) of global betting turnover per year, the IBIA plays a crucial role in identifying potential sports corruption through suspicious betting activity. Football and tennis were the most affected sports, with 63 and 54 alerts respectively. Football alerts have been on the rise for the past three years, while tennis alerts have decreased in the last five years.
Europe accounted for the highest number of alerts in 2023, representing 61% of reports. Among European countries, the UK had the most alerts (31), followed by the Czech Republic (18), and Brazil and Spain tied for third place with 11 alerts each. The IBIA’s efforts resulted in proving 74 matches to be corrupt, leading to 21 sanctions. Eight of these sanctions were against tennis players, while seven were against tennis umpires. Surprisingly, only one football club was sanctioned despite football’s prevalence in the reports.
Khalid Ali, the chief executive of the IBIA, expressed encouragement at the decrease in global alert numbers last year. This decline highlights the significant contribution of the IBIA’s monitoring and alert network in deterring criminals from defrauding members. Ali emphasized the importance of collaboration between the IBIA, sports, and regulators in preserving sports integrity. However, Ali also noted that unregulated operators, particularly in Asia, pose the greatest threat to sports integrity, and vigilance is necessary.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) has also been active in tackling corruption in sports. Recently, Bosnian official Damjan Dejanovic received a provisional suspension for breaching anti-corruption rules, joining Bulgarian official Stefan Milanov, who was banned for 16 years earlier this month. An ITIA investigation found Milanov guilty of several corruption offenses related to matches he umpired in 2021. Additionally, French player Leny Mitjana received a 10-year ban for corruption and match-fixing offenses linked to a match-fixing syndicate case in Belgium. The syndicate leader, Grigor Sargsyan, was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison as a result of the joint efforts between the ITIA and Belgian authorities.
In January, the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Bangladesh cricketer Nasir Hossain for two years for breaching the Emirates Cricket Board’s Anti-Corruption Code. Marlon Samuels, a two-time T20 World Cup winner with the West Indies, also received a six-year ban from the ICC in November for anti-corruption breaches.
