subject: London 2012 And betting Gangs [print this page] After the recent betting scandal with the Pakistani cricket team, officials of the International Olympic Committee will be looking to stop the possibility of gambling-related corruption in the qualifying events. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been monitoring betting at other events such as the Beijing 2008 Summer Games and the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.
The IOC has repeatedly warned that any implications in illegal betting can threaten the integrity of the sport and damage the spirit of the Olympic Games.
IOC president Jacques Rogge, is aware that the Olympic Games are not traditional avenues for the illegal betting market, but he wishes to remain ahead of the potential threat.
"It is clear that betting, through the financial benefits it generates, provides huge opportunities to sports organisations. However, there is a significant problem when betting leads to the manipulation of competitions and therefore threatens the integrity of sport. Cheating driven by betting is undoubtedly the biggest threat to sport after doping," he said this summer. "For the sports movement it is crucial to develop a unified strategy and to collaborate closely with public authorities and the legal gambling industry. Only then will we be able to address efficiently this complex issue."
The IOC will be setting up it own Swiss-registered service, known as International Sports Monitoring, which will oversee all Olympic events.
The ISM has managed to establish agreement with bookmakers all across the European continent so that instances of irregular betting could be shared and investigated. The betting exchange, Betfair, has agreed to grant IOC access to the identity of those who are laying suspicion bets.
by: Antonia Torr
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