International Centre for Sport Security and Sorbonne Sign Agreement

Doha, March 14 (QNA) - The International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) and the Universite Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne siged here on Wednesday a partnership agreement with a view to combating behaviour which contravenes principles of sporting integrity including match-fixing. ICSS President Mohammed Hanzab and Universite Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne Professor of Public Law Laurent Vidal signed the agreement at a media briefing held on the sidelines of the Second International Sports Security Conference which opened today at the Qatar National Convention Centre here. The deal with the French university which has one of the world's leading International Public Law and Sports Law Faculties to combat behaviour which contravenes principles of sporting integrity including match-fixing. Mohammed Hanzab, President of the ICSS, said: Speaking to the media before the signing of the agreement Hanzab said, "We are pleased to announce ICSS's collaboration with the Pantheon-Sorbonne University at our 2nd annual conference. "Our mission is to enhance security and safety in the world of sport by proactively addressing real issues and providing best-in-class training, research and advisory services'', President of the ICSS said. Elaborating Mohammed Hanzab said,"Sporting integrity is at the centre of our sport security efforts and this partnership will ensure that that we are able to provide expert advice to assist international sporting federations and bodies in their ongoing efforts to address the scourge of match-fixing and other illegal sporting activity." For his part, Laurent Vidal who is also Chairman of the Scientific Committee of the ICSS-Sorbonne Sporting Integrity Working Group said, "This agreement is an important step in our efforts to further the work of the University in sporting integrity across the world. Together with the ICSS we will now be in a position to develop research programmes that will help us achieve our stated aim of international conformity of regulations that address illegal sporting activity such as match-fixing. We look forward to working with the ICSS in this important area." The collaboration is the first of its kind in the world and will create a central hub for knowledge gathering and information sharing with international sporting federations to promote and support global sporting integrity. The collaboration will see the creation of a jointly run Sporting Integrity research initiative which will manage several programmes with the ultimate goal of achieving the international harmonisation of standards and regulations associated with match-fixing, doping, illegal betting, and all aspects of sporting integrity. Extensively consulting with key decision-makers from various sporting federations in order to provide long-lasting, pertinent and innovative solutions to stop the proliferation of match-fixing. The Head of the Sports Law Faculty at the Universite Paris I - Pantheon-Sorbonne and Sports Advisor to the French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Sophie Dion, who was also present at the event, reiterated the strong bilateral ties France and Qatar share and said, "Sport speaks a universal language. It bridges different cultures and spreads values of learning and competing with integrity. Sport is good, but it can be dangerous too. So security and is vital to ensure it is safe, secure and ethical." Dion will oversee the Masters Programme that is planned under this new agreement between the ICSS and Sorbonne. The partnership will be guided by an experienced Scientific and Advisory Committee which includes Denis Oswald, Associate Professor of the University of Neuchatel, Switzerland; President of the ICSS Mohammed Hanzab; Hassan Al Thawadi, General Secretary of the Supreme Committee for the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar, Chris Eaton, Head of Security at FIFA and incoming Director of Sport Integrity at the ICSS (May 2012), Khoo Boon Hui, President, Interpol; Sir Dave Richards, Chairman, Premier League; Peter Ryan, Security Advisor to the International Olympic Committee (IOC); Mohammed Alhajri, Vice-President of the ICSS; Lord John Stevens, Former Commission, London Metropolitan Police; Nassir Al Hanzab, Member of the ICSS-Sorbonne Sporting Integrity Working Group and other prominent officials. (END)