By Will Shand from Prague, May 26, 2015: With match-fixing continuing to damage players and leagues around the world, the Czech Association of Football Players (CAFH) and International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) have announced a new integrity partnership to safeguard Czech football.
The two organisations will join forces to develop specialised integrity support to protect players and prevent approaches by organised crime, as well as developing confidential reporting and intelligence platforms that will see the ICSS work with players to encourage them to anonymously report corruption.
The CAFH-ICSS agreement follows recent reports surrounding second division club FK Baník Most 1909, where players were asked to take lie detector tests to prove they were not involved in fixing matches. As a result, CAFH approached the ICSS to become independent integrity advisors, which will also allow CAFH to access data and intelligence that was previously unavailable due to other commercial arrangements in Czech football.
Speaking at a high level meeting involving CAFH and ICSS, Marketa Haindlova, CAFH Chairman, said:
“The ICSS are one of the world’s top experts in integrity and anti-corruption and this new partnership is a significant moment for the CAFH and Czech football.
“As a member of FIFPro, CAFH represents the interests and welfare of professional players in the Czech Republic and we are wholeheartedly against any form of manipulation in professional football.
“It is important that the CAFH continues to support our members, particularly those who are most vulnerable to being corrupted and especially those that go unpaid or receive lower salaries.
“Integrity is a fundamental pillar for the game of football and the CAFH is committed to partnering with top international experts, like the ICSS, to protect our players. I am confident that this unique cooperation will greatly contribute to enhancing the core values to safeguard the integrity and transparency of Czech football.”
Chris Eaton, Executive Director – Sport Integrity at the ICSS added:
“Czech football has an incredible pedigree of producing top players and we commend the CAFH’s strong stance on player protection and also their commitment to clean and fair sport
“At the ICSS, we believe that clubs, leagues and associations must do more to create a culture of integrity throughout their sport, as well as putting in place the right structures to prevent and protect their members from the temptations to that are offered by organised crime.
“As part of our role working closely professional players, clubs and the CAFH, the ICSS Sport Integrity team hopes that this agreement will strengthen anti-corruption measures in Czech football and look forward to working with them to support and protect sport in the country and wider Eastern Europe.”
About the CAFH
CAFH is the representative organization for professional and amateur players in the Czech Republic. CAFH is a member of the worldwide football players union FIFPro.
CAFH´s mission is to actively promote the collective and individual interests of the players, especially to pursue equal rights and obligations, to oppose all forms of exploitation and taking advantages of players by third parties and to protect the integrity of the game of football.
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