ICSS and Pantheon-Sorbonne University announce agreement to address match-fixing in sport

The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and the Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne have this week announced a partnership agreement that will work to combat behaviour which contravenes principles of sporting integrity including match-fixing.

The announcement and signing of the Partnership Agreement was made on the first day of the 2nd International Sport Security Conference taking place in Doha, Qatar.

The Conference, held on 14th and 15th March, brought together over 300 key decision-makers, experts and practitioners in sport from around the globe.

The Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne has one of the world's leading International Public Law and Sports Law Faculties while the ICSS is an international not-for-profit institution that helps to combat security and integrity issues in sport by offering research, training and consultancy services to governments, event organisers and sporting institutions.

The collaboration is the first of its kind in the world and will create a central hub for knowledge gathering and information sharing with international sporting federations to promote and support global sporting integrity.

Key aspects of the collaboration include: 

• The creation of a jointly run Sporting Integrity research initiative which will manage several programs with the ultimate goal of achieving the international harmonisation of standards and regulations associated with match-fixing, doping, illegal betting, and all aspects of sporting integrity. 
• Extensively consulting with key decision-makers from various sporting federations in order to provide long-lasting, pertinent and innovative solutions to stop the proliferation of match-fixing. 
• The establishment of a Masters Program which will be overseen by Sophie Dion, the Head of the Sports Law Faculty at the Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne. Ms Dion is also the Sport Advisor to the French President. 

ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab explained "we are pleased to announce the International Centre for Sport Security's collaboration with the Pantheon -Sorbonne University at our 2nd annual conference. Our mission is to enhance security and safety in the world of sport by proactively addressing real issues and providing best-in-class training, research and advisory services. Sporting integrity is at the centre of our sport security efforts and this partnership will ensure that that we are able to provide expert advice to assist international sporting federations and bodies in their ongoing efforts to address the scourge of match-fixing and other illegal sporting activity." 

The ICSS and Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne partnership will be guided by an experienced Scientific and Advisory Committee including: 

• Denis Oswald, Associate Professor of the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. Associate Professor Oswald will chair the Advisory Committee. He is also Director of the International Sports Study Centre (CIES) and a Member of the IOC's Sports Arbitration Tribunal;
• Rick Parry, former Chairman and Managing Director of the Premier League; 
• Mohammed Hanzab, President of the ICSS; 
• Mohammed Alhajri, Vice-President of the ICSS; 
• Bruno Genevois, President of the Honorary Section of the Council of State and President of the French Anti-Doping Authority; 
• Évelyne Lagrange, Professor of International Public Law at Université Paris I – Panthéon-Sorbonne; 
• Lord John Stevens, Former Commission, London Metropolitan Police 
• Chris Eaton, Head of Security at FIFA and incoming Director of Sport Integrity at the ICSS (May 2012) 
• Joseph Chaoul, former Minister of Justice of Lebanon, Honorary President of the Lebanese Council of State and former Dean of the Faculty of Law of Université Saint-Esprit of Kaslik, Lebanon; 
• Sophie Dion, Lecturer-Researcher at Université Paris 1 – Panthéon Sorbonne and Head of the Master's 2 degree in Sports Law; 
• Eric Drossart, Vice-Chairman of IMG; and 
• Nassir Al Hanzab, Member of the ICSS-Sorbonne Sporting Integrity Working Group. 

The conference also drew controversy when Sir Dave Richards, the English Premier League Chairman and a Football Association (FA) Vice-Chairman accused international football governing bodies FIFA and UEFA of "stealing" the game from Britain and told his Middle Eastern hosts they had their "heads in the sand" over proposed alcohol restrictions at the FIFA Qatar World Cup in 2022.

Richards's outspoken remarks appear to have undone recent efforts by the Premier League and FA to defuse charges of arrogance and build bridges with UEFA and FIFA in the wake of England's 2018 FIFA World Cup bid humiliation.

Richards rounded off a damaging day for English football's international reputation by falling into an ornamental water feature.

For more information go to www.internationalsportsecurityconference.com

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