Competition Manipulation
Coordinating responses to combat illegal activities
We combat illegal activities such as competition manipulation (also known as match-fixing) by using coordinated responses. We work with governments, sports, regulators, wagering service providers and law enforcement agencies.
What is Competition Manipulation
Competition Manipulation is when someone influences the course or result of a sports event. They do this to gain advantage for themselves or for others, and to remove the uncertainty normally associated with sport.
Competition Manipulation can be done by athletes, teams, agents, support staff, referees and officials or venue staff.
It can happen in any of the following deliberate ways:
- fixing the result
- fixing the points spread
- an athlete’s under-performance,
- an athlete’s withdrawal (also known as ‘tanking’ or ‘manipulation’ and ‘experimenting’)
- an official’s deliberate misapplication of the rules
- interference with the play or playing surface
- abuse of inside information to place a bet.
National Policy on Match-Fixing in Sport
In June 2011, all governments in Australia agreed to the National Policy on Match-Fixing in Sport. This policy represents a commitment by the Commonwealth and state and territory governments to work together to address match-fixing activities with the aim of protecting the integrity of sport.
National Policy on Match-Fixing in Sport
Competition Manipulation education
Everyone involved in sport including athletes, employees, coaches, officials, contractors and support personnel at all levels should be aware of competition manipulation threats and their relevant sport specific policy.
We developed a Competition Manipulation and Sports Betting program to cover the following key areas:
- what is Competition Manipulation in sport—history and examples
- the growth of sports betting and why Competition Manipulation has become a significant threat to the integrity of sport
- how Competition Manipulation can ruin careers and endanger lives
- how individuals may target athletes, officials and other relevant people
- addictions—a gateway to corruption
- how to protect athletes, officials and other relevant persons from corruption and their reporting requirements
- code of conduct requirements and other integrity tools, and
- support and counselling options.
The Competition Manipulation eLearning program is available in our education portal.
Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention)
The Macolin Convention is the international treaty aimed at combating Competition Manipulation and other corruption in sport.
On 1 February 2019, the Australian Government signed the Macolin Convention.
We coordinate the process for Australia to ratify the convention.
We work with states and territories who help us to meet the current and future obligations of the Macolin Convention.
National sport integrity offences
The Australian Government agreed with the recommendation in the Wood Review to:
- Establish nation-wide offences to combat integrity threats, including competition manipulation.
- Apply the legislation across the whole of Australia.
- Encourage consistency in any additional state and territory legislation.