By Michael Pavitt at Palácio Foz in Lisbon

International organisations, governing bodies and governments were represented at the two day summit ©TwitterThe inaugural Inter-Regional Sports Policy Summit came to a close here today, with the vow that task forces will be set up to tackle threats to sport integrity.

The task forces will attempt help bring about reforms to tackle issues raised at the summit including the threat of corruption and match fixing, the governance of sport and youth development.

In closing the two-day event, Mohammed Hanzab, President of the International Centre for Sports Security (ICSS) who organised the Summit claimed "that time has come to move beyond platitudes and instigate solid action in areas of good governance and the integrity of sport".

Hanzab confirmed the summit would also be held next year as the organisation, dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport, attempts to unite powerful groups which include international organisations, governing bodies and Governments.

Having discussed the importance of international cooperation and global leadership in sporting integrity and the development of National Sport Integrity Units yesterday, three further sessions took place today.

These focused on using sport as a catalyst for social and economic development, good governance and financial integrity, and child protection and youth development.

Professor Matt Andrews stated that a sensible approach was required to get Government and sports on the same page ©ICSSProfessor Matt Andrews stated that a sensible approach was required to get Government and sports on the same page ©ICSS



Stuart Page, director international cooperation and anti-corruption policy development at ICSS, implored Governments to do more to help tackle problems such as corruption and match fixing to preserve the integrity of sport.

"It's not very often that we make legislation around the world where we say this is an actual crime," Page said.

"The New Zealand Government just passed legislation that said match-fixing is a crime and it is seven years in jail.

"Once you have got that overheard protection in your country, things become a lot easier for local Government sporting federations, law enforcement, to come together as everybody owns the problem, everybody has a valid view.

"You need to start from the top, with leadership."

His thoughts were echoed by Professor Matt Andrews, associate professor of public policy at Harvard Kennedy School, who was a discussion leader in the first two sessions of the day who claimed the summit had been a useful step towards improving governance.

"What we would argue is that the complexity of the sector has not been matched with the complexity of the policy or even the research, very few people have looked at the sector, very few people have looked at the interaction between the Government and this sector," he said.

"Which is very, very, surprising as most people have some interaction with sport, most people play sport at some time, so this is something that touches everyone's lives yet we haven't really looked in depth at how to do it well.

"We are trying to look and say is there a way to look through a good research lens at how it can be done well."

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