The XNUMXst International Forum on counteracting match matches takes place in the House of Football

11.12.2018 21:37

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

Today in the conference hall of the House of Football began its work I International forum for counteracting match matches. The event is attended by representatives of FIFA, UEFA, FFU, The Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, football associations of Poland, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, as well as staff of the National Police and Prosecutor's Office of Ukraine.

During the event, the forum participants discuss key mechanisms and tools for detecting and combating the organization of matches with a predetermined result, share their experience in this field of football associations of different European countries and successful examples of cooperation with law enforcement agencies.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

According to FFU First Vice-President Nazar Kholodnytsky, when the team led by Andriy Pavelko was just starting a campaign against contract matches, no one believed that it would be effective and yield results. "We were told that this is impossible in Ukraine, but the close cooperation of the FFU Ethics and Fair Play Committee, the FFU Arbitration Committee, the police and the prosecutor's office allowed us to get good results. I want to assure you that this is just the beginning, and we do not plan to stop! " - Nazar Kholodnytsky emphasized.

As FIFA Security Manager Stephanie Eichenberger noted in her speech, contract matches are a real football problem, and it concerns not only Ukraine. "This is a problem not of one country, but of the whole football world, but such a forum creates a great opportunity for cooperation between members of various organizations and representatives of the authorities, police, FIFA and UEFA. This is a good opportunity to exchange information, best practices and experiences in counteracting the organization of match-fixing in general, ”said Ms. Eichenberger.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

The seriousness of the problem of contract matches on an international scale was confirmed by the representative of UEFA - the coordinator of the division of the union for the safety of the game Graham Picker. "We understand very well that this problem is global. We are well aware that about 250 matches of national leagues during the season in different European countries are contractual. Therefore, it is very important that such forums, where it is possible to borrow useful experience in the fight against contract matches, take place regularly and unite all those who really love football. Such forums are extremely productive, ”Picker said.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov

During the forum, Volodymyr Velychko, a representative of the National Police and Deputy Head of the Department for Support of Special Matters of the Department of Economic Protection, showed the audience a recording of negotiations between organizers and executors of corrupt schemes. Velychko also reminded that in May this year the police opened a criminal case and conducted the first special operation against the organizers and participants of the matches with a predetermined result. "This is the first criminal case in Ukraine in which we have managed to gather a lot of evidence against the organizers of such matches, as well as referees, players, directors and coaches of football clubs. We continue to work in this direction and, I think, we will present its results at the beginning of the New Year, "said a representative of the National Police.

Photo by Pavlo Kubanov