OTTAWA – Following a two-day symposium in Toronto, experts from a variety of industries identified the need for a coordinated pan-Canadian approach to prevent competition manipulation that is bolstered by comprehensive education. The 2023 Symposium on Competition Manipulation and Gambling in Sport, co-hosted by McLaren Global Sport Solutions (MGSS) and the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), brought together more than 150 delegates from key sectors, including athletes, national and international sport, regulatory agencies, betting operators, academia, legal, technology, and law enforcement.
The symposium examined the issue of competition manipulation using three themes – the current landscape, Canada’s response, and the international perspective. Throughout, experts emphasized that protecting athletes and sport from competition manipulation and match-fixing will require collaboration and alignment across multiple sectors, both in Canada and internationally.
"Competition manipulation is in its infantile stages in Canada, so there's an urgent need to provide the sport community – athletes, officials, coaches, and parents – with comprehensive education before it really takes hold. Athletes, in particular, need to be able to recognize competition manipulation, know how to report it, and understand the risks and possible sanctions."