IOC pilots successfully capacity-building activities with key stakeholders
With all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and International Federations (IFs) physically in one place during the Games, the Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) for the first time conducted a series of capacity-building activities for more than 60 NOCs and a number of IFs.
“It’s important to reach out to the athletes directly in the Olympic Village, but at the same time it’s essential to create long-term structures and skills across the Olympic Movement to prevent competition manipulation as efficiently as possible,” explained Evangelos Alexandrakis, OM Unit PMC Senior Manager for Policy and Institutional Relations. “We need concerted efforts by all key stakeholders,” he said.
No fewer than 14 sessions were organised on-site in Paris between 30 July and 10 August. The interactive meetings were focused on certain themes (e.g. collaboration with public authorities, how to involve National Federations, intelligence and investigations, awareness-raising, sports betting) and held in various languages (English, French, Portuguese and Arabic) to maximise the understanding and the outreach. During another session, the continental associations of NOCs were invited to discuss the Unit’s involvement in continental games, i.e. the African, Asian, European, Pacific and PanAm Games.
The kick-off session on 30 July included representatives from INTERPOL, the Council of Europe and national platforms (such as the French betting regulatory authority). It was aimed at helping the NOCs understand their role in the fight against competition manipulation (adoption of the rules, development of awareness-raising and intelligence activities) and notably how to liaise and cooperate with national and law enforcement authorities should a competition manipulation case arise in their country.
Marlene C. Gadzirayi, Secretary General of the NOC of Zimbabwe, said about her experience: “I had the chance to attend one of the sessions on the overall activation of NOCs which helped me to clearly understand the role and actions an NOC needs to take to protect its sport and sportspersons from the threat of competition manipulations. I look forward to further working with the OM Unit PMC towards the adoption of rules and the development of awareness raising and intelligence activities.”
Given the positive feedback from several other participants, the Unit is likely to conduct similar activities at future Games editions.
Canadian NOC Legal Counsel Jerome McEniry said: “I had the chance to attend a few of the sessions organised by the OM Unit PMC during the Games. During these sessions we exchanged experiences with other NOCs on key issues, such as working with National Federations and national platforms. A great opportunity to learn more and understand other approaches from NOCs facing similar challenges!”
Makarita Lenoa, President of the NOC of Fiji, highlighted: “We started our NOC activation four years ago by adopting the relevant rules. Thanks to these sessions during the Games I had the chance to meet in person with the OM Unit PMC and further understand what more needs to be done. We will now also strengthen our relations with law enforcement and state authorities in Fiji to ensure that we are best equipped to protect our sport and our athletes.”