Undermining Sports Values by Arranging the Matches

The values promoted by sport (fair play, integrity and respect for others) can be undermined by practicing illegal, national / international practices, as well as by arranging matches. One of the basic principles of sports law is the prohibition of illegal influence on official results obtained in large-scale competitions. According to the Council of Europe "arranging matches is a threat to contemporary sport", as the phenomenon can usually attract large criminal networks with negative, major implications on sports entities, supporters, fans and athletes. In July 2014, the Council of Europe adopted the Convention on the manipulation of sports competitions being open for signature to the European countries, as well as to those outside it (Republic of Moldova being the 22nd state to concede this document). This treaty has the mission to prevent, identify and apply sanctions to those who violate the discipline in this regard and who proceed to manipulate the official sports results. In this context, there is a need for close collaboration between the public authorities, those responsible for organizing international sports competitions, in order to prevent undermining sports values and official results by arranging matches.