Gambling Education Best Bet For E.U. Athletes

Integrity in sports is always being challenged wherever there is gambling in the world. No where is the need for education on the rules for betting more important than with the players of the various sports. The European Union Athletes' Association has combined it's efforts with the European gambling industry and online sports bookmakers to enlighten professional athletes about the consequences and definitions of betting on sporting events. The educational campaign is aimed at "helping professional sportspeople better understand and deal with issues surrounding the integrity of sport and betting" and is supported by the code of conduct on sports betting for athletes which was developed by the European Union Athletes Association, the European Gaming and Betting Association and the European Sports Security Association, complementing the rules provided by national laws and or sport specific regulations. The Code of Conduct sets out the guiding principles and provides general advice to all athletes throughout Europe on the issues surrounding the integrity of sport and betting. The code of conduct provides advice on how to avoid or address specific risk situations, such as when an athlete has sensitive inside information on team tactics. The education initiative will target a number of member associations for cycling, handball and basketball in France, Germany and Spain. Secretary-general of the European Union Athletes Association, Walter Palmer, commented that the, "pilot programme will develop best practice in player education on sports betting issues across Europe". Secretary-general of the European Gaming and Betting Association, Sigrid Ligné, commented also that these initiatives present "a very important first step" in preventing situations that could damage the integrity of sports and fair play. Athletes are warned that online betting operations have sophisticated systems in place that can detect any wrong doing. Bart Ooijen from the European Commission's sport unit commented that "integrity in sport is about openness and fairness of competitions on the one hand and about physical and moral integrity of athletes on the other".