With just a few days left until the 2016 Rio Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London-based firm, Genius Sports, announced a partnership in order to monitor any possible manipulation of the competitions related to sports betting and to protect the integrity of Olympic events which will start on August 5.
With just a few days left until the 2016 Rio Olympics, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and London-based firm, Genius Sports, announced a partnership in order to monitor any possible manipulation of the competitions related to sports betting and to protect the integrity of Olympic events which will start on August 5.
Data from both regulated and unregulated gambling markets will be used for investigations led by Sports Integrity Monitor service of Genius Sports. The firm will watch for suspicious gambling and any unusual activity which might suggest cheating in the competitions. Genius Sports will report results in real time to sport governing bodies, which will then decide whether anything is amiss.
IOC’s Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Pâquerette Girard said at the signing of the agreement:
“In 2013, we launched our Intelligence Betting Integrity System to collate alerts and information on match manipulation and, ever since, we have further optimised the mechanism. We have identified responsible organisations that can assist our global effort to prevent corruption and are delighted about our new partnership with Genius Sports. They will provide added value by making available their specialist skills, knowledge and technological expertise during the Olympic Games and other major sporting competitions organised by the IFs.”
Genius Sports CEO Mark Locke added:
“We are pleased to partner with the IOC at the Olympic Games Rio 2016 and beyond. The Olympic Games represent the pinnacle of world sport and are the ultimate platform to showcase the values of excellence, friendship and respect upon which sport is built. We look forward to sharing our expertise and intelligence to aid the prevention of match manipulation in order to further safeguard the integrity of these major and extraordinary competitions.”
According to Chris Eaton, the former head of security at FIFA and an expert in match fixing, betting on the Rio Olympics will draw about US$1 billion in legal and illegal bets globally.
