A YEAR FULL OF CHALLENGES

Transcription

1 A YEAR FULL OF CHALLENGES 2013

2 President Leo Windtner (Austrian Football Association), President Peter Schröcksnadel (Austrian Ski Federation), Minister of Sport Gerald Klug, Dietmar Hoscher (Casinos Austria Group) and President Günter Kaltenbrunner (Play Fair Code)

3 FOREWORD FROM THE MINISTER The fascination we feel for competitive sport functions at many different levels, and the industry has vast potential for exercising a the essence of sport is not invulnerable. Regrettably, recent years have seen the industry being exposed to enormous dangers, the true extent danger which has the power to shake sport to its very foundations is the global problem of the doping of competitors. Huge efforts have been made internationally to bring this problem under control in recent continues. Another, equally important, challenge at both national and internatio- combated. - 1

4 broke at the end of 2013, and after a round table meeting with the Aus- to discuss the issue of the Fight set up an interministerial working group as Austrian Minister of Sport. Experts are currently looking into where there may be a need to tighten up legislative or organizati- - The Play Fair Code ( Association for playing an absolutely essential role Ministry of Sport, the Football Association and the Football League, the Play Fair Code has been active since It has been faced with huge challenges from the very beginning. This Annual Report gives you de- 2 tailed information about the complex scope of activities of the Play Fair Code. I would like to express my thanks to all those involved in the Play Fair Code for the work they are doing, and to President Kaltenbrunner in particular, who, as a former professional footballer, knows and loves sport. - Sport is all about teamwork, and it is only by working together that we can maintain and preserve the structures that are so crucial if sport is to survive. I would like to wish the Play Fair Code all the best as it works to do exactly that in the coming year. With sporting regards, Minister of Sport

5 FOREWORD FROM THE PRESIDENT If we watch a match tomorrow and know how it s going to end, then football is dead! (Michel Platini, UEFA President) atest single threat in global sport today. The public in Austria have become far more aware of the issue of cially since details of the case of ex-professional footballer Dominic Taboga emerged in November of last year. We in Austrian sport do not live on an island of the blessed, where such things are not an issue. So what strategies, measures and recipes have we put in place to combat the problem? The direction Austria has chosen established in mid-2012, when the Association for Protecting the Integrity in Sport was brought to life upon the initiative of the Ministry of Sport, the Austrian Football Associa- tions under the brand of the Play Fair Code. I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all those involved in the Play Fair Code, whose dedication has made it possible for us to move in this direction and helped contribute to its early development. The Play Fair Code depends upon awareness-building. We go directly to athletes, coaches, those in charge als to those involved in sport at every level, in other words. - the Austrian Football League have been provided with training on this issue. The Austrian Ski Federation and the Federal Sports Association, the Austrian Olympic Committee, the Association, Admiral Sportwetten and Raiffeisen have all been won over as partners in our network. It is also important to us that we should be able to anchor this longterm awareness-building amongst professional athletes in sports other than football, provide training for the next generation of young athletes, expand existing partnerships and continue to network on an international level. President, Play Fair Code 3

6 Management at Casinos Austria, Austria s largest gaming group, and Austrian sports betting provider and league sponsor tipp3, credibility is not merely a catchphrase for us, but the commercial foundation of all our products and lived corporate culture. 4 Credibility is the soul of sport, the basis of the excitement, emotion, passion and fascinating stories that sport tells week in, week out. As a fan of Austrian football, I regularly experience these stories up close. - - The newly-taken path of the Play Fair Code must be held to consistently. After the events surrounding the Taboga Case, it is now time for lasting, active cooperation. Only by working together with all participants will we succeed in anchoring the need for conscious- the heads and hearts of all actors. - - Play Fair Code

7 FOUNDATION & MILESTONES Founding Members (ordinary members) New ordinary member New sponsoring partnership with all 20 clubs of the Austrian Football League New extraordinary member New extraordinary member New extraordinary member 5

8 SPIRIT CREDIBILITY AWARENESS We associate it with the passion of athletes for their sport, the suspense at who will come out on top, the will to win, fairness out on the pitch and on the touchline, and of course a professional and honest attitude towards sport. No matter who is going to watch sports, the crucial factor is that you don t know how it s going to end. Neither the players, the coaches, the fans, nor those watching on TV know. The truth is decided out on the pitch, and there alone! If you know how a match is going to end, or are even suspicious that all is not quite right in this area, then the interest in and credibility of the sport is lost. This involves raising awareness amongst all participants in xing now poses a threat to the very existence of sport. represents a serious threat to sport. 6

9 RESPONSIBILITY PREVENTION MONITORING the sport itself, the teams involved, the club, the owner as an employer and the fans. trivial offense, but fraud, and has legal consequences for those involved. We accept this challenge with the - athletes and other stakeholders in sport who have information activities. Prevention refers to the idea of making athletes, coaches and those responsible at the relevant sporting associations viding. Above and beyond this, it is about highlighting the backgrounds and risks, and offering protection mechanisms. Monitoring is the observation and analysis of match results in order to recognize suspicious movements in betting odds. Monitoring serves to create transparency, and provides Monitoring is a reality: in professional European football, the top two leagues in every UEFA member country are already now being monitored, as are the European club competitions and matches between national sides. 7

10 TRAINING & EDUCATION We have accompanied the sporting associations, athletes themselves, club-representatives and stakeholders in the industry with a specially-designed training programme. Here s a brief selection of our training activities: Preliminary Play Fair Code training at SK Rapid Wien This initiative is important and right. We are all in the same boat, and have to have an interest in ensuring that sporting performance on the pitch, remains the sole factor determining the result today and in the future, Didi Kühbauer, Head-Coach of FC Admira Mödling at the time (currently with WAC), after the training session. Training at First Vienna FC This training is very interesting for all of us, and most importantly of all, it s prepared in a highly professional way!, Thomas König, ORF presenter, after ORF sports editorial department undergoes Play Fair Code training. explain to the young players at our youth academy exactly what is involved, Robert Ibertsberger, Ath- These initial two events at the Salzburg and Carinthia Regional Associations also gave us a chance to Günter Kaltenbrunner, Play Fair Code President, after the launch of the information offensive at the 8

11 20 Clubs tipp3 Bundesliga & Heute für Morgen Erste Liga 500 Players 150 Staff Young Athletes 450 Junior Players 150 Staff Sport-Stakeholders 500 Club-Representatives, Managers and Journalists 9

12 PROJECTS In March 2013, together with the International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA), the Ministry of the and the, FIFA and Interpol organised a two-day workshop for around 40 national and international representatives from the areas of football, sports betting and executives in Laxenburg. awareness-raising and education for sports stakeholders in Austrian football. In 14 different workshop extensively. Austrian Football League clubs and referees lined liga powered by T-Mobile on December 2013, the Football League, together with its associations and referees, took a clear and decisive stance against Code initiative. The message the players and referees were giving, which! 10

13 The Play Fair Code launched a campaign of awareness-raising at the nine Regional Football Associations at the beginning of 2014 with an innovative information format. This series of events is primarily aimed at club representatives and trainers in the amateur sector, and serves to sensitise these decision-makers ated download section of the Play Fair Code website at individual associations. A series of training sessions was launched as an at the preventative approach to which the Play Fair Code has dedicated itself is an important step for the future of sport, and nowhere more so than amongst young people. and targeted with the training content. 11

14 and offers guidance on how to best handle suspicious and potentially dangerous situations in relation to the which is obligated to treat all recei- In close cooperation with the informant and only with the informant s explicit consent the Ombudsman Play Fair Code. Play Fair Code acts as an - for sporting associations. In cooperation with the associations Play Fair Code offers in line with the relevant legal provisions. contacted by. Also enquiries are handeled by the Om- The consultation is. 12 Attorney at Law T F M Mail ombudsmann@nhp.eu Sports rights expert T F M Mail ombudsfrau@nhp.eu

15 CONTACT & IMPRINT Play Fair Code President: Günter Kaltenbrunner Managing Director: Mag. Severin Moritzer Seidlgasse 22/2, 1030 Vienna, Austria T F moritzer@playfaircode.at Images: Austrian Ministry of Sport Casinos Austria AG NHP Rechtsanwälte GmbH

16 Members and Partners: