The Macolin Convention requires the authorities to co-operate with sports organisations, betting operators and competition organisers to prevent, detect and sanction the manipulation of sports competitions. The aim is to establish a common legal framework for effective international co-operation to combat this global threat.
Purpose of the Convention
The ultimate objective of the Convention is protecting the integrity of sports and sports ethics. This objective is pursued through various measures aimed at preventing and detecting the manipulation of sports competitions. The objectives of the Convention are to be achieved by promoting international co-operation and monitoring compliance with the provisions laid down in the Convention. The main points of the Convention can be thematically divided into prevention and co-operation practices, public authority activities, information exchange and monitoring mechanisms.
For this purpose, the main objectives of this Convention are:
- to prevent, detect and sanction national or transnational manipulation of national and international sports competitions;
- to promote national and international co-operation against manipulation of sports competitions between the public authorities concerned, as well as with organisations involved in sports and in sports betting.
National Platform
The Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture has established a National Platform for combatting manipulation of sports competitions to act as a national contact point under Article 13 of the Macolin Convention. The national platform serves as a national information hub, co-ordinates the fight against the manipulation of sports competitions, analyses information on irregular and suspicious bets placed on sports competitions, transmits information on possible infringements of laws or sports regulations to public authorities or to sports organisations and/or sports betting operators, and co-operates with all organisations and relevant authorities at national and international levels.
FINCIS performs the duties of the chair and secretariat of the National Platform and the members are the Ministry of Education and Culture, the National Police Board, the National Bureau of Investigation, the National Prosecution Authority/Southern Finland district, the Finnish Olympic Committee, the Football Association of Finland, the Football Players Association of Finland, the Hippos ry and Veikkaus.
Network of National Platforms
Established in 2016, the Council of Europe Network of National Platforms (hereinafter referred to as the Group of Copenhagen) brings together 33 countries represented by national coordinators of platforms on combatting manipulation of sports competitions. The network has laid the foundation for international co-operation, which has enabled the exchange of information, experience and expertise necessary to combat the manipulation of sports competitions.
The network focuses on identifying and highlighting best practices, supporting the existing national platforms and helping with the establishment of new ones, and strengthening the structural and professional capacities of national and international stakeholders.
So far, the Group of Copenhagen has, among other things, established an alert and monitoring system for preventing manipulation of sports competitions, and defined different types of manipulation into the typology of competition manipulation, which has harmonised the terminology.
The Convention entered into force on 1 September 2019 and has been ratified by seven countries. The Convention has been signed by 31 countries, including Finland.
