Exclusive - IAAF Unveils Sanctions for Illegal Betting at London Olympics

(ATR) Athletes and officials found guilty of illegal betting or competition rigging at London 2012 will be handed bans of between two and four years, the International Association of Athletics Federations reveals to Around the Rings.

The IAAF is the highest profile Olympic sport to launch tough new sanctions based on a set of "Model Rules on Betting and Anti-Corruption" drafted by the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).

The IAAF's new Rule 9 covering illegal betting and other anti-corruption violations was approved by its Executive Board at a March meeting on the sidelines of the World Indoor Championships in Istanbul. The IAAF spent time informing its 212 member federations and awaiting comment; there was no negative feedback. The rule came into force May 1.

An IAAF spokesman tells ATR that the build-up to the London Olympics is a good time to introduce the new regulation.Athletics chiefs believe the sanctions will act as a deterrent to any athletes or officials thinking of engaging in corruption at the Games.

"Even if we haven't yet had any real controversies regarding betting in athletics, we are still very aware that this is a serious matter for sport in general, and so we are glad to have made the first efforts at regulation. But we underline the fact that this is a work in progress," he added.

Under Rule 9, the IAAF bans "participation in, support for, or promotion of, any form of betting related to an event or competition, including betting with another person on the result, progress, outcome, conduct or any other aspect of such an event or competition".

Athletes and officials also face severe sanctions for manipulation of results.

A violation refers to "fixing or contriving in any way, or otherwise improperly influencing, or being a party to fix or contrive in any way or otherwise improperly influence, the result, progress, outcome, conduct or any other aspect of an event or competition".

The IAAF will also come down hard on those involved in bribery to fix results and gift-giving that brings individuals or the sport of athletics into disrepute.

Under the IOC's own rules, athletes, officials, coaches and referees are prohibited from betting for a period of one month from the opening of the Olympic Village on July 16. IOC president Jacques Rogge has already warned that illegal betting is as big a threat to the integrity of sports as doping.

At this summer's Games, the IOC has the power to declare results void, strip athletes of medals and ban officials for breaches of its own rules, but the responsibility to mete out further punishments, as with doping offenses, falls to the international federations.

At the London Olympics, the IAAF will ask for any allegation or suspicion of a violation of Rule 9 to be sent in writing to the IAAF general secretary, who shall refer the matter to the IAAF Executive Board.

In the IAAF's new regulations, seen by ATR, the athletics governing body states that the IAAF Executive Board "shall designate an independent person or persons to be Rule 9 responsible for investigation of the allegation or suspicion and for determination as to whether to issue a charge"

It states: "The hearing of alleged violations of this rule shall be conducted by the IAAF Ethical Commission which shall determine its own hearing procedure under the IAAF Code of Ethics."

Where a Rule 9 violation has been committed, the IAAF has the power to impose "a minimum of two years and a maximum of four years ineligibility". Additionalfines may also be handed down.

In order to determine the appropriate sanction in each case, the IAAF said its Ethical Commission "shall assess the relative seriousness of the violation, including identifying all relevant factors that it deems to aggravate or mitigate the nature of the violation committed".

Aggravating factors include whether the athlete or official committed the violation on more than one occasion; whether they committed more than one violation; and whether they had previously been found guilty of a similar violation.

Mitigating factors include whether the participant admitted the violation; their good previous disciplinary record; their young age and/or lack of experience; and whether the violation affected or had the potential to affect the result or outcome of the event.

ASOIF's own betting and anti-corruption guidance rules for its 28 members came out of collaborations with an IOC working group set up in 2010 to combat the growing threat of illegal betting and match-fixing across Olympic sports. They were developed to ensure that all summer Olympic IFs have robust procedures in place to prevent corrupt practices and prosecute any cases that arise at London 2012.

Although there have been no reported cases of illegal betting at any previous Olympics, ASOIF is warning federations to be very vigilant to the threat at London 2012.

ASOIF director Andrew Ryan has told ATR that the London Games represent "a greater risk than ever before for illegal betting at an Olympics" because of the strong culture for betting in the U.K.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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