New safeguards to prevent match-fixing in New Zealand sport

The New Zealand Government has said it will make match-fixing a specific crime for the first time to ensure sport remains corruption-free.

New Zealand Sport and Recreation Minister Murray McCully yesterday (5th May) announced two important steps to prevent match-fixing and protect the reputation of New Zealand sport.

“New Zealand is not immune to the international risks of match-fixing and we are taking pre-emptive steps to protect our well-deserved reputation for playing fair and the integrity of New Zealand sport.

“Today we have released the New Zealand Policy on Sports Match-Fixing and Related Corruption, and announced plans to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to ensure the most serious form of match-fixing is a criminal offence.

“The national match-fixing policy provides a comprehensive framework for collaboration across Government, the sport sector and the betting industry to address match-fixing risks to New Zealand sport.

“An important component of the policy is ensuring we have a strong legal framework around match-fixing, and ensuring it is subject to criminal sanctions.

“We have therefore decided to amend the Crimes Act 1961 to ensure match-fixing is included. While match-fixing may already be covered by existing legislation, the decision to refer to it specifically in the Crimes Act gives greater certainty to law enforcement agencies and international sporting bodies.”

Minister McCully said that in recent years some sporting codes had been targeted by international criminal syndicates "seeking to gain unfair advantage to illegally profit from sports betting."

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