A fifth European country has ratified the so-called Macolin Convention to prevent match-fixing in sports, according to Yogonet.com. Switzerland was the latest country to endorse the measure, which has also been ratified by Norway, Portugal, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine and is backed by a total of 37 countries.
“The entry into force of the Macolin Convention is good news for everyone who values fair play and integrity in sport,” said Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland. “The convention is a major step forward in the fight against corruption in sport and has received firm backing from major sports organizations and partners including FIFA and UEFA. I urge all of our member states and countries around the world to sign and ratify the convention as soon as possible.”
Launched in 2014, the Macolin Convention is the only legally-binding international treaty promoting global cooperation to keep sports competitions above-board. Australia has signed the convention and other non-European countries including Cap Verde and Morocco have expressed an interest in joining.
The convention “sets out a range of practical measures to address match-fixing internationally and it has been broadly supported by the European Sports Security Association and the wider betting sector,” said Khalid Ali, Secretary General of the ESSA. “Ratification of the Convention is therefore a predominantly positive move. However, there remain hurdles to overcome. The definition of illegal sports betting, in particular, continues to present challenges to universal acceptance of the Convention text.”
