International experts to attend sports integrity summit in Doha

More than 60 experts from around the world will convene in Doha next week for the first-ever Sports Integrity Summit to engage in open dialogue on the most pressing issues surrounding the integrity of sport, officials announced on Thursday.

The summit themed ‘Sport Integrity – The Power of Collective Action in the Middle East, Asia and Africa’ will be held on September 16 and 17 at the Kempinski Marsa Malaz Hotel Doha.

The summit, which will be attended by HE the Minister of Culture and Sports Salah bin Ghanem bin Nasser al-Ali, is organised by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), co-hosted by the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and Qatar Airways.

The event is sponsored by Ooredoo as a supporting partner and Qatar Chamber of Commerce & Industry as a contributing partner.

At a press conference held in the presence of SIGA CEO Emanuel Medeiros, ICSS chairman and Group CEO Mohamed Hanzab said the summit is being held as part of Qatar's efforts to support sports integrity and fight corruption.

Delegates will discuss a number of suggestions and ideas which aim to provide solutions to move forward in the fight against corruption and achieve sports integrity.

The speakers will highlight the seriousness of corruption in sport in the region and will encourage countries to adopt SIGA’s international standard legislation.

“The threats and challenges facing sport are mounting," CEO of SIGA Medeiros said.

"They are global and require global solutions but must take into account the regional specificities. SIGA is leading the way for sport integrity worldwide. This includes not just Europe and the Americas, but also Asia, the Middle East and Africa where sport is more vibrant than ever.

“We are committed to working with all relevant authorities and key stakeholders from every nation to protect sports’ values and its wider role in our societies. The summit in Doha will be a great step into that direction.”

Hanzab, who is also vice chairman of SIGA, said that Qatar is one of the first countries that supported achieving sports integrity and transparency, highlighting that the ICSS is partnering with sports institutions in Qatar.

He added that after the great success SIGA has achieved at the international level, the alliance is currently discussing sports corruption in Asia, Africa and the Middle Eastern region. It is also working on setting appropriate suggestions to eliminate malpractice and achieve transparency.

Hanzab said SIGA received several suggestions from many countries in the region for partnership and support to eliminate sports corruption.

Along with other topics, the summit will feature a series of engaging keynote lectures on ‘Female Leadership in Sport – A Call for Action.’