Match Fixing

• The organized participation is governed by various sports organisations who frame rules and patterns of behavior which should govern the activity. 
• Ex. Olympic Charter codifying the fundamental principles of Olympics, to promote the values of excellence, friendship and respect while protecting the integrity and fairness of games. 
• Manipulation of sport is nothing but to control the outcome of a competition or alter the natural course of a sporting event, or part of it to obtain an undue advantage for oneself or for others.

Forms of Manipulation of Sports Competition:

Ethical issues in manipulation of sports competition

• Unfair competition: It gives rise to unfair competition, discouraging honest sportspersons to follow the sports rules under trying circumstances. 
• Lack of Sportsmanship: Manipulation of sports competition brings disrespect for the team, opponent, fans etc. with greed for money or fame taking away the positive and transformative power of sports. 
• Disappointment for the viewers: News of sports manipulation may lead to lack of trust among the viewers and feeling of being cheated and resentment among the society. 
• Blow to a country’s reputation: It puts the country on the global map for match-fixing, doping etc. related violations. 
• Ex. in November 2015, the Russian Athletics Federation was suspended due to the state-organized doping system of athletes for national squad selections. 

Challenges in addressing the manipulation of sports competitions

• Increase in market value of match fixing: Rising size and network of sports betting market with a more global and more complex structure due to emerging uses of technology, big data, and social media. 
• Issues with disclosure of Forbidden substances:  Delays in updating the list of forbidden substances when compared to the emergence of new products and in publication of doping tests. 
• Targeted approach: Targeting entourage of athletes and grooming of young players for sports manipulation. 
• Emergence of Digital Cheating: Digital doping or e-doping or technological cheating/hacking in E-Sports and Virtual gaming to manipulate data have been used significantly.
• Ex. in e-cycling competitions in 2019. 

Way Forward 

The increasing financial stakes, gains, for stakeholders and States alike from sports demand  collective action against Manipulation of sports competition. This includes: 

• Intelligence and Investigations 
• To identify the manipulations, how (modus operandi) the manipulators do so and share it with other nations/bodies. 
• Ex. An e-portal for athletes, coaches and support staff to report such manipulations can help in it. 
• Awareness Raising and Capacity Building to determine the principles for respectful behavior 
• It can also help in creating cognitive dissonance among elite athletes through visualization of how guilty they might feel when caught for sports manipulation.
• Legislative Approach: Lay down disciplinary and criminal sanctions of specific sports manipulation 
• Collaborative approach: Ensure National and International cooperation, coordination, and exchange of information among all key stakeholders at national, bilateral, and multilateral level. 
• Ex. to Coordinate with INTERPOL’s Match Fixing Task Force when conducting investigations.