Match-fixing as a Threat to Sport: Ethical and Legal Perspectives

Abstract

This article aims to show how match-fixing is a threat to sport, not only from an ethical but also from a legal perspective, and to explain the various challenges of combating match-fixing in sport on the national and international level. To achieve this, the first step of the article is to explain corruption in sport, the values of sport and their endangerment through match-fixing, and then the crucial factor of sport autonomy is explained. Further, the article discusses various national and international legal norms and measures in the fight against match-fixing. On the international level there is discussed the current state of play of the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions (the so-called Macolin Convention) and the Group of Copenhagen, as the follow-up network of national platforms. Finally, the article makes recommendations regarding the better investigation of match-fixing and concludes with a critical appreciation of findings in the fight against match-fixing.