AFC to co-host INTERPOL conference

The Asian Football Confederation will co-host an INTERPOL conference against match fixing and corruption in football to be organised in the Malaysian capital on February 20/21, 2013 for the Asian region.

Representatives from AFC member associations, government, betting industry and law enforcement will be invited to attend the 'INTERPOL International Conference – Match Fixing: The Ugly Side of the Beautiful Game' which is organised with active support from FIFA, AFC and Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

The conference, organised under the INTERPOL/FIFA Training, Education and Prevention Initiative, aims to

- Improve knowledge and understanding of the global threat from match fixing and irregular/illegal betting and its immense impact at the national level, what the current tactics used by criminals to initiate match fixing in football are, and likely trends in the future;

- Identify current good practices and innovative ways to prevent match fixing and corruption in football and more effectively protect the future of the ‘beautiful game’, and,

- Further encourage global, regional and national bodies associated with football to work together more effectively in partnerships, regularly sharing information and taking action to prevent match fixing.

The INTERPOL's series of conferences kicked off in Rome on January 17/18 for the European region preceded by a regional conference for the United States of America and Canada in New York City on January 24/25.

Head of INTERPOL's Integrity in Sport unit Michaela Ragg was quoted as saying that the conference provides 'a strong base to further advance the collective fight against match fixing'.

"By bringing together representatives from the widest possible range of organisations involved in combating match fixing, the conference provided an opportunity to share expertise and identify best practice to ensure that we all move forward together in tackling this global problem," Ragg said.