US Experts Join Strong International Field for FITS FORUM

Conference challenges world leaders in sport, finance and governance to address critical issues of good governance and financial integrity practices in sport

Preliminary FITS FORUM agenda released

Geneva, Switzerland; 12 August 2015: A leading team of US law enforcement and anti-corruption experts will join a strong international field of more than 40 high-level speakers for the Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport (FITS) FORUM taking place in Geneva next month.

The FITS FORUM, being held on 3-4 September 2015, will act as a platform to drive global action on the threats facing the financial integrity and transparency of sport and pave the way towards long overdue reforms. Pioneered by the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) it will bring together influential leaders in sport, finance and governance for the first time and create a unique pool of knowledge, expertise and leadership from which to address the most crucial issues.

Leading the US contingent will be Leonard McCarthy, Vice President of the World Bank, Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network for the United States Treasury, Joel Lange, Managing Director for Dow Jones Risk and Compliance, Matthew H King, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Office of International Affairs for the United States Department of Homeland Security, and Jane Lute, Former Deputy Secretary for United States Homeland Security.

They join other confirmed speakers from around the world including:

· Mohammed Hanzab, President of the ICSS

· Miguel Cardenal, Secretary of State of Sport of Spain

· Javier Tebas, President of the Spanish Football League

· Nicola Bonucci, Director of Legal Affairs of the OECD

· Nic Coward, General Secretary of The Premier League

· Lars-Christer Olsson, President of the Swedish Football League / former CEO of UEFA.

The preliminary agenda for the FORUM, which will shape the framework for discussions on the fundamental questions and mounting challenges facing the financial integrity and transparency of sport, features a series of high-profile panels debating topics such as:

· Good Governance in Sport: Time for Reform

· Money-Laundering and Tax Evasion: Risks and Cures for a Clean Sport

· Club Ownership: Safeguarding Sport from Criminal Infiltration

· Financial Supervision in Sport: So Far So Good?

· Sport, Business and Ethics: Worlds Apart?

· Third Party Ownership: Prohibition or Regulation?

Speaking about the need to address financial integrity and transparency in sport, Jennifer Shasky Calvery, Director of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) for the United States Treasury, said:

"Financial integrity and transparency in sport gets to the very heart of FinCEN’s mission to safeguard the financial system from illicit use. While money laundering is often associated with drug trafficking and organized crime, the financial stakes surrounding sport have shown a troubling vulnerability to corruption and abuse by bad actors. But like other threats to our financial system, FinCEN will use all of its authorities to combat such illegal activity."

Joel Lange, Managing Director for Dow Jones Risk and Compliance, also agreed on the need to drive financial reform in the sport sector:

"We've seen financial integrity be driven by best practice, standards, regulation and enforcement in the financial services sector and wider corporate community. Financial integrity in sport is behind the curve and we see an opportunity for regulators, sponsors and service providers associated with sport to drive advancement in line with other sectors."

Delegates from around the world, including representatives from Europe, USA, Asia and Africa, have registered to attend the event underlining the importance of the FITS FORUM, which is part of the ICSS’ ongoing drive to develop a robust, coordinated, international approach to protecting sport in the face of the huge economic and commercial growth of the industry.

Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, CEO of ICSS EUROPE and LATIN AMERICA, said:

"The FITS FORUM is a truly global event that will bring together experts at the forefront of the fight for effective financial integrity and transparency in sport and create a blueprint for good governance in order to safeguard sport’s credibility and future development.

"To have such an impressive line-up of influential speakers from America and around the world shows that the FITS FORUM is the foremost platform from which to address the crucial next steps for sport."

For more information, please contact:

Will Shand

ICSS

will.shand@theicss.org

+974 333 416 55 / +44 77 52 73 1548

Clair Ashley

VERO Communications

CAshley@verocom.co.uk

+44 207 812 6589 / +44 788 986 6697

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