‘BITEFIX’, EU ERASMUS+ Sport project’s 3rd Transnational Meeting

BITEFIX Collaborative Partnership directed to help tackling match-fixing in sport held its 3rd transnational project meeting with all its partners on 7th March 2022 at Estádio (Stadium) António Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal advancing the publication of the Guide of Best Practices and the design of the Educational Program and implementation of the pilot courses

The third transnational project meeting of ERASMUS+ Sport’ BITEFIX project was held in person at Estádio (Stadium) António Coimbra da Mota, Estoril, Portugal. The Partnership analysed the results produced thus far – namely the Guide of Best Practices on the Fight Against Match-Fixing –, evaluate the status of the project and discussed different topics concerning the development of the “Educational Program” and launch of the BITEFIX e-Community – “International Network of Experts on match-fixing and betting-fraud in sports”.

Following the identification and collection of good practices at national, international, and regional level, HASK (leader of Work Package WP2) presented the 3rd version of the Guide of Good Practices on match-fixing and anti-corruption. ICSS INSIGHT (project coordinator) presented the results of the second launch of questionnaires to the key-stakeholders. The partners approved the version which will continue evolving, benefiting of the subsequent Intellectual Outputs (IO). Guide accessible at www.bitefix.eu

With the close stage of finalizing the WP2, ISCTE (leader of WP3) presented the Educational Program which aims to create a comprehensive e-learning platform (IO2) on exchange of information and data protection to fight match- fixing. The eight modules are developed and the contents were approved: an introduction of the possibilities of the BITEFIX e-Learning platform took place and all Partners contributed to the discussion in order to build the platform in the most practical and user friendly manner.

Starlizard Integrity Services and Sorbonne University (leaders of WP4) presented a methodological strategy for the BITEFIX e-Community and its accessibility by the target groups, that was approved by the partnership.

In accordance, the project’s main deliverables, marked for the next 18 months, with special focus on WP3 “Educational Program” and its e-learning platform, are:

• Launch of the Educational Program as a capacity building tool.
• Implementation of a Pilot Experience with key-stakeholders.
• BITEFIX e-Community – “International Network of Experts on match-fixing and betting-fraud in sports” setting-up.

The eight modules encompass: Historical perspective of Match-fixing and betting in Sport; Contemporary betting and related fraud, crimes and illegal markets; Match-fixing and betting-fraud prevention at European and national level; Betting practices among sport actors; Trust building; Data protection and protected reporting systems; Exchange of information; and Whistle-blower protection in Sport: Lessons for an effective implementation of the European directive.