IBIA and PFA Canada to run educational course

The programme will cover a range of integrity issues.

Canada.- The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and the Professional Footballers’ Association Canada (PFA Canada) will develop a two-year educational course for players and staff in the Canadian Premier League’s (CPL) eight teams.

In 2024, the programme will educate approximately 300 players and staff about the potential threat of sports-betting-related match-fixing and its potential to defraud sports betting operators and customers. The agreement stipulates a repeat training in 2025 for new players. The IBIA and member operators bet365, Betway Group and FanDuel have committed CA$300,000 over three years.

IBIA education ambassador Jean-François Reymond said: “We look forward to working with PFA Canada to further protect the Canadian Premier League from the threat of sports-betting related match-fixing. Protecting the integrity of sport means protecting the integrity of athletes. Most often through a lack of awareness, it is the athletes who are risking their careers and livelihoods. IBIA’s objective is to help build a best-in-class programme for all athletes that serves to protect the integrity of Canadian sport and the careers of Canada’s athletes.”

See also: IBIA reports rise in suspicious betting alerts in Q1

IBIA CEO Khalid Ali said: “IBIA’s members take their role – as responsible regulated betting operators – in protecting the integrity of sporting competition and of betting markets seriously. Alongside balanced, efficient and evidenced-based regulation, protecting soccer players, staff and officials from being targeted by criminals is an essential first step to stamping-out sports-betting related match-fixing and fraud.”