Home News The Canadian athlete education programme is established by the IBIA

The Canadian athlete education programme is established by the IBIA

By Manny Wood.
Fact checked by Wilbur Thompson.

In Canada, a new athlete education programme has been formed through a partnership between the International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) and three of its members.

The International Betting Integrity Association (IBIA) has announced a partnership with three of its members to establish a new athlete education programme in Canada. It has been emphasized that the initiative will concentrate on the potential threats posed to athletes, sports, and the regulated market by match-fixing and fraud related to betting.

Bet365, Betway, and FanDuel, who are IBIA members, have made a commitment to invest a minimum of CA$300,000 (US$220,078) over a span of three years in order to provide support for the program. Discussions are also underway among the funding partners regarding the establishment of a delivery body. The objective is to finalize these discussions within the next few weeks and subsequently launch the program in the second half of 2023.

Once the program becomes operational, it will encompass various components such as face-to-face athlete training, an e-learning portal, an anonymous reporting app, and materials aimed at increasing awareness. Khalid Ali, the chief executive of IBIA, expressed his delight at the dedication shown by their members, namely bet365, Betway, and FanDuel, to sports betting education and their willingness to invest in such a significant initiative. He further added that all partners are eagerly anticipating the positive impact this project will have on safeguarding the integrity of Canadian sport and its athletes. To IBIA, the integrity of sports and investing in the individuals who contribute to sports are of utmost importance.

Jean-Francois Reymond, the education ambassador for IBIA and a former professional basketball player, stated that safeguarding the integrity of sports implies protecting the integrity of athletes. He emphasized that it is usually the athletes who unknowingly put their careers and livelihoods at risk due to a lack of awareness. The ultimate goal is to develop a top-notch program that caters to all athletes and serves the purpose of upholding the integrity of Canadian sport and the careers of its athletes.