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ICSS 2015 Recap

2015: A landmark year for the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS)

2015 has been a defining year for the world of sport.

Corruption, sport betting, governance and transparency issues, as well as major event safety and venue security challenges, has changed the landscape of the sports industry and will continue to shape many events and organisations around the world.

Established in 2011 by ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab to help safeguard sport, over the last 12 months the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and its global experts have continued to play an increasingly integral role in enhancing sport safety, security and integrity.

This year alone, ICSS experts have delivered numerous international projects and forums alongside top international organisations to help enhance and safeguard sport.

With 2016 round the corner, we look back on some of the ICSS’s main highlights over the last 12 months and some of the successes of the organisation as it enters its fifth anniversary.

Sport Safety and Security

Gathering global expertise in sport safety and security design, operations and training, the ICSS has this year been appointed by several high-profile organisations to provide sport safety and security services.

Of note, the ICSS signed a new safety and security partnership by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) earlier in the year, which will see the ICSS help strengthen existing safety and security regulations in the AFC region, as well as developing training programmes to educate security staff and carry out risk assessments within the AFC Member Associations.

Furthermore, ICSS safety and security experts – led by Executive Director of Safety and Security, Malcolm Tarbitt – were also appointed this year as security advisors to Stadio Della Roma to support the development of the security strategy and design of AS Roma’s new 52,500 seater stadium, as well as the wider entertainment facility, which will be integrated as part of the new facility at the heart of the Italian capital.

With numerous high-profile major international sport events taking place in 2016, the ICSS will look to build on these exciting client wins next year and continue to help leagues, clubs and federations develop a safe, secure and cost-effective environment for those attending their venues and events.

Sport Integrity

Driving international policy in sport integrity and sharing its anti-corruption expertise with the world of sport and beyond, 2015 saw ICSS experts work on various international projects, including work located in Australia, USA, France, India, Switzerland, Spain and Portugal.

Over the last 12 months, ICSS anti-corruption experts and investigators have also worked together with key international institutions, including UNESCO, UNODC and the OECD, gathering world-leading experts at various forums to help strengthen policy in the area of sport integrity and to combat corruption in sport.

Jointly organised ICSS Sport Policy Forums in 2015 include:

  • ICSS-UNODC side meeting at the 13th United Nations Crime Congress in Doha
  • UNESCO-ICSS MINEPS V follow-up meeting, also in Doha
  • The Inter Regional Sports Policy Summit in Lisbon, Portugal
  • Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport FORUM (FITS FORUM)
  • Sport Integrity workshop hosted with the Spanish Sports Council
  • Conference on Sport, Youth and Human Rights hosted with the European Commission

Building on these platforms, the ICSS and its global sport integrity experts will follow-up on this work in 2016, further enhancing international policy in sport integrity as well as working on-the-ground protecting clubs, leagues and other associations against corruption on and off the field of play.

In particular, 2016 will see the ICSS announce the results of its much-anticipated global project looking at the Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport (FITS), as well as finalising the ICSS-UNODC Handbook which will support law enforcement agencies investigate match-fixing cases.

Despite 2015 being a landmark year for the organisation, the work does not stop there for the ICSS. With the curtains falling on 2015 and with 2016 marking the fifth anniversary since the organisation was established, next year will be another exciting period for the ICSS as it looks to safeguard sport and help more organisations confront the many evolving safety, security and integrity challenges that sport now faces.