January 30 – The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has extended its integrity partnership with Sportradar aimed at tackling match manipulation and betting fraud in the Asian game. The agreement will run through to 2023 and the next Asian Cup in China.
The agreement continues a previous partnership that saw Sportradar’s Intelligence and Investigation Services engaged with the AFC in the 2018 and 2019 seasons to investigate potential football betting irregularities. Sportradar and the AFC first began their cooperation in 2013.
Sportsradar will provide support for the AFC Integrity Unit via its betting monitoring services as well as a series of education. The AFC has championed a zero tolerance stance against match-fixing, and has had significant success in identifying match fixers, including in-competition, in the face of an estimated $5 trillion illegal betting market worldwide.
“Sportradar have been a valued and trusted partner of ours since 2013, and we are very proud of what we have accomplished together to help protect the integrity of Asian football,” said AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa (pictured right)..
“However, we cannot stand still and become complacent, that is why our cooperation has evolved over the years to include detection, safeguarding, prevention and reporting measures. Through this, Asian football has the level of integrity protection that befits our loyal and passionate fans across the continent.”
Over the years the partnership has steadily grown, with 20 analysts and investigators monitoring the game across Asia, the launch of a whistleblower app, and increased AFC expertise in other key integrity areas of anti-doping, age fraud, stadium security and compliance matters.
“Sportradar are committed to developing the Integrity Services and have made serious investments in the intelligence, investigation, and anti-doping services to ensure our service remains the gold standard in integrity,” said Sportradar Chief Executive Carsten Koerl. “We look forward to continuing our close working relationship with the AFC over the coming years and playing an even bigger role in helping to uphold the integrity of Asian football.”
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713275995labto1713275995ofdlr1713275995owedi1713275995sni@o1713275995fni1713275995