IOC & INTERPOL strengthen collaboration against match fixing

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and international crime agency INTERPOL, have agreed to increase collaboration between both organisations in an effort to combat match fixing.

IOC President Thomas Bach invited INTERPOL General Secretary Ronald Noble to IOC headquarters in Lausanne Switzerland, to discuss a framework for co-operation and sharing of knowledge between the two organisations.

Thomas Bach who after taking presidency of the IOC last year, underlined match fixing and sports corruption as major issues the IOC would look to tackle.

The co-operation between both parties will be based on the agenda principals of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that was signed between Interpol and IOC. The IOC stated that it would start to monitor betting activity for upcoming Olympic events, the organisation had also founded a Betting Intelligence Unit, to aid its operations.

Commenting on the joint initiative Thomas Bach stated

“We are very satisfied with the determination being demonstrated by INTERPOL to team up with the IOC in this fight for the clean athletes. Together we continue to call on all governments, police authorities and betting regulators to join us.”

Bach further stated that the IOC would look to broaden its cooperation with national police forces and governmental departments, in order to minimise the impact of match fixing by the Rio de Janiero Olympics in 2016