FIFA launches second edition of Integrity Handbook to tackle match manipulation 

Football is not exempted from criminal activity which could undermine the integrity of matches and competitions. One of FIFA s most important roles is...

Football is not exempted from criminal activity which could undermine the integrity of matches and competitions. One of FIFA’s most important roles is to protect football from such threats as the first of FIFA's strategic objectives for the 2023-2027 cycle makes clear: it states that FIFA should work to prevent “all methods or practices, such as corruption, doping or match manipulation, which might jeopardise the integrity of matches, competitions, players, officials and member associations or give rise to abuse of association football.”

FIFA is aware that the threat to football’s integrity will never completely go away and can only be tackled effectively if FIFA and its member associations (MAs) join forces and fight it together. As part of this strategy, FIFA has launched the updated FIFA Integrity Handbook, designed to help member associations and all stakeholders strengthen their own integrity initiatives.

Entitled “Protect the Integrity of Football”, the new handbook is the result of FIFA’s continuous efforts to promote integrity, both internally and to the public. The book, developed by the FIFA Integrity group, provides a step-by-step, in-depth analysis of where to begin, what to know and what to do. 

It provides guidance on questions such as appointing an integrity officer,  establishing reporting mechanisms, designing an integrity-related education programme and establishing a media strategy. It also describes how and when to conduct an investigation and organise disciplinary hearings.

Compared to the first edition, there is an increased emphasis on the integrity action plan with content dedicated to establishing education initiatives at local level. It also contains a new section on the adjudication of integrity-related offenses, explaining in detail the step-by-step process to ensure legally correct decisions taken against respondents involved in disciplinary proceedings. It also presents new case studies.