POSTED: Monday March 23rd 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FIFA supports member associations in monitoring sports betting

FIFA is committed to doing all it can to protect the integrity of national and international football competitions from the influence of sports betting.

 
To this end, FIFA offers its member associations specific measures for the protection of football through its subsidiary Early Warning System GmbH (EWS).
 
The Lithuanian Football Federation was the first to approach FIFA about joining the initiative and is now the first of FIFA’s member associations to receive support from world football’s governing body to monitor sports betting on a national level. EWS is due to commence its monitoring activities at the start of the Lithuanian football season in April 2009. Although the Lithuanian Football Federation will be monitoring betting activities itself, it has been assured of technical support from EWS. The federation will also be able to avail itself of EWS’s know-how.
 
Early Warning System GmbH
 
Since 1 July 2007, Early Warning System GmbH in Zurich has, on behalf of FIFA and together with experts in this field, been developing and operating an early warning system, which is currently monitoring the qualifying matches for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The World Cup final competition will also be monitored through this system. In the future, FIFA plans to use the early warning system for the national competitions of its member associations as well as the international football events organised by the confederations.
 
Since its establishment, EWS has made a name for itself through its monitoring of the sports betting market and has progressively expanded and optimised the warning system over the last three years. As a result, EWS was commissioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to monitor the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, for example.
 
Further information from:

FIFA Media Department – Tel.: +41-43/222 7272, fax: +41-43/222 7373, e-mail : media@fifa.org 

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Keywords · FIFA · sports betting

Name: Nicolas Maingot
Organization: FIFA
Email:
Phone: +41-43/222 7272
URL: http://www.fifa.com/index.html

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