IOC Launches Integrity Defense with Global Partners Calls for a Cleaner Sports Environment

On 24 October, more than 400 representatives from the Olympic Movement, national governments, and international organizations gathered in Lausanne, Switzerland, for the 5th International Forum on Sports Integrity (IFSI). Hosted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the forum unanimously adopted the Global Declaration on Sports Integrity, aiming to strengthen integrity and governance in sports through concrete actions.

The declaration sets out four key priorities: promoting good governance and combating corruption, preventing match manipulation, ensuring referee fairness and transparency in AI applications, and safeguarding athlete safety. The forum was also broadcast online, with experts and officials engaging in in-depth discussions on integrity and technology governance.

IOC President Christophe De Kepper emphasized that sports integrity is like a “spider’s web,” strong only when all parts are connected:

“We must earn the trust of athletes and the public, working together to safeguard the future of sport.”

EU Commissioner Glenn Miklajewski stated that integrity is the cornerstone of global trust in sport, while Björn Berg, Deputy Secretary-General of the Council of Europe, reaffirmed efforts to deepen collaboration through the International Partnership Against Corruption in Sport (IPACS).

After the forum, the IOC, together with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Council of Europe, and INTERPOL, reaffirmed their cooperation. UNODC official Brigitte Strobel-Shaw noted:

“Sports integrity drives social and economic development. Only by working together can we protect sport from corruption.”