Recently, the "Notice of the General Administration of Sports and the Ministry of Public Security on Severely Investigating and Punishing Gambling, Match-fixing and Other Violations and Disciplinary Activities to Strengthen Industry Self-discipline and Autonomy" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice") was officially announced.
The person in charge of the Department of Policy and Regulations of the General Administration of Sports of the People's Republic of China interpreted the "Notice".
In recent years, athletes illegally betting on games and illegally manipulating game results have occurred from time to time.
A small number of athletes, coaches, referees and other sports practitioners participate in gambling and match-fixing, which seriously violates the integrity and professional ethics of sports, damages the image of sports, and ruins the social atmosphere.
Previously, the General Administration of Sports issued the "Administrative Measures for Sports Events" (Order No. 25 of the General Administration of Sports of the People's Republic of China), and jointly issued the "Several Opinions of the General Administration of Sports and the Ministry of Public Security on Strengthening the Management of Behavioral Regulations in Sports Arenas", in order to regulate sports events. Activities and field behavior played a positive role.
The person in charge of the Department of Political Science and Law stated that, on this basis, the issuance of special documents for illegal activities such as gambling and match-fixing in competition activities will help solve the problems of unspecific relevant management regulations, imperfect rules of industry associations, unclear basis for punishment, and punishment. Inappropriate range, etc.
In October 2021, the General Administration of Sports started the drafting of documents on the serious investigation and punishment of gambling, match-fixing and other violations of disciplines and laws. After learning about the situation from relevant associations and systematically sorting out existing policies and regulations, the first draft of the "Notice" was formed.
In November, the Ministry of Public Security, various departments and departments of the General Administration of Sports, various project management centers, some national individual sports associations and local sports departments were solicited in writing.
The Ministry of Public Security agreed to jointly issue the document and proposed amendments.
After listening, researching, absorbing opinions from all sides, and constantly revising and improving, the "Notice" was finally formed.
The person in charge of the Department of Political Science and Law stated that resolutely safeguarding fairness and justice in sports, strictly investigating and punishing, and promoting industry associations to strengthen self-discipline and autonomy are the general ideas for the drafting of the "Notice".
The drafting of the "Notice" thoroughly implements the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on sports, strengthens the supervision and management of competition style and discipline, practices the core socialist values, promotes the spirit of Chinese sports, promotes sports ethics, and ensures the healthy and orderly development of sports. .
The "Notice" was drafted and cooperated with the public security organs to increase the rectification and crackdown.
Clarify relevant policy regulations and disciplinary requirements, emphasize the main tone of severe punishment for gambling, match-fixing and other violations of disciplines and laws, further clarify the responsibilities of all relevant units and departments, and establish an internal accountability mechanism.
The drafting of the "Notice" draws on the useful experience of some associations, and promotes individual sports associations to improve relevant management regulations, establish special disciplinary punishment agencies, establish and improve working mechanisms, actively exert the self-discipline and autonomy function of industry associations, and continuously improve the level of association autonomy.
According to the person in charge of the Department of Political Science and Law, the main contents of the "Notice" include improving ideological awareness and strengthening organizational leadership; strictly implementing regulations and strengthening management in accordance with the law; clarifying disciplinary requirements and increasing punishment; Strictly control the selection criteria; improve the organizational structure, improve the work rules; strengthen supervision and accountability, and compact work responsibilities.
The "Notice" pointed out that problems such as gambling and match-fixing are recognized by the international sports community as cancers that restrict the fair, just and healthy development of the industry.
In recent years, problems such as gambling and match-fixing in sports competitions have been repeatedly banned. Central leaders attach great importance to them and have issued important instructions and instructions on many occasions.
All regions and relevant departments should improve their political positions, recognize the necessity and urgency of carrying out industry governance and investigation and crackdown work, effectively strengthen organizational leadership, cooperate closely, and pay close attention to the implementation of measures to prevent and reduce such incidents to the greatest extent possible. Problems occur, and strive to create a good industry atmosphere and social environment.
The "Notice" requires that all local sports departments, relevant business functional departments of the General Administration of Sports, project management centers and individual sports associations should follow the "Measures for the Management of Sports Events" and "Several Opinions of the General Administration of Sports and the Ministry of Public Security on Strengthening the Management of Behavioral Regulations in Sports Arenas" and other regulations, strengthen the standardized management of sports events and on-field behavior, and work with the public security department to promptly investigate and punish athletes, coaches, referees and other personnel for participating in gambling activities, using inside information of events to trade or make profits, and trying to obtain information through improper means. Violations of laws and regulations, such as inside information of events or manipulation of matches, etc.
The "Notice" requires that individual sports associations should formulate and revise disciplinary guidelines and punishment rules in accordance with the actual project.
Athletes, coaches, referees and other personnel who commit illegal acts such as gambling and match-fixing shall be given a written review, fined, ordered to hand over disciplinary income, suspended training allowances and incentive wages, expelled from sports teams, Suspension (lifetime ban) and other penalties.
If a professional league is involved, the league organization, the professional club where it belongs, and the managers who are directly responsible shall be punished at the same time.
If the circumstances are serious, the impact is bad, or the case does not cooperate with the investigation, or deliberately deceives, the punishment shall be heavier.
Punishment decisions made by international sports organizations should be dealt with on the basis of careful investigation and verification: if the facts are clear and the evidence is conclusive, additional penalties must be imposed; if the decision does not conform to the actual situation or the penalty decision is unjust, it must be actively assisted. appeal.
Those who play match-fixing in international competitions and gamble with inside information, once verified, will be punished with a lifetime ban.
Public security organs at all levels should closely cooperate with sports departments, conduct investigations and investigations on gambling-related illegal and criminal acts in a timely manner, comprehensively collect fixed evidence, and impose public security management penalties or investigate criminal responsibility according to law.
It is necessary to follow the line, conduct a comprehensive and thorough investigation, and dig deep into the organizers, operators, profit-seekers and behind-the-scenes "protective umbrellas" of gambling-related crimes to ensure that they penetrate deeply and form an effective deterrent.
It is necessary to pay attention to the effect of handling cases and the scale of law enforcement, comprehensively consider the nature of the behavior, the circumstances, the degree of harm, etc., accurately apply the law, and deal with it strictly in accordance with the law, so as to ensure the organic unity of political, legal and social effects.
The "Notice" stipulates that all local sports departments, relevant business functional departments of the General Administration of Sports, project management centers and individual sports associations should effectively strengthen the education of discipline, law and professional ethics for athletes, coaches, referees and related personnel.
Athletes, coaches and referees must sign a letter of commitment not to participate in gambling, match-fixing and other violations of laws and regulations when registering or entering a sports team.
Those who commit gambling, match-fixing and other violations of laws and disciplines will not be allowed to be selected for sports teams and national teams at all levels, and will be disqualified from participating in various professional sports competitions.
The "Notice" requires that associations that have not yet established a disciplinary committee should revise their articles of association in a timely manner and establish them as soon as possible.
The Disciplinary Committee shall follow the principles of openness, impartiality, fairness, and the combination of punishment and education, correctly perform its duties, and promptly review and handle relevant violations of laws and disciplines.
It is necessary to improve the procedural regulations on evidence investigation and collection and punishment hearings, resolutions, and enforcement, establish and improve dispute resolution mechanisms such as appeals, and unblock the rights and remedies.
For decisions that have a high degree of social concern and have a great impact, public notices must be made on the premise of protecting personal privacy, and they must actively accept social supervision.
It is necessary to publish the contact information such as the reporting telephone number and email address, unblock the complaint and reporting channels for clues about violations of laws and regulations such as gambling and match-fixing, and establish and improve the complaint reporting and feedback system.
The "Notice" pointed out that in accordance with the principle of "who is in charge, who is in charge", all local sports departments, relevant business functional departments of the General Administration of Sports, project management centers and individual sports associations must earnestly perform their duties, improve the management system, and refine work responsibilities.
If the relevant personnel participate in gambling, match-fixing and other violations of discipline and law due to the absence of management responsibility, or if they discover that gambling, match-fixing and other violations of discipline and law are found to be concealed and unreported, the responsibility of the relevant personnel shall be seriously investigated.
The Disciplinary Committee of the General Administration of Sport, the discipline inspection committees of local sports departments at all levels, the project management centers and the association discipline inspection committees (disciplinary inspection committees) should strengthen the supervision of discipline enforcement. The punishment decision ensures that the association's self-discipline and autonomy are effectively implemented, and resolutely maintains a clean and upright industry atmosphere.
The person in charge of the Department of Political Science and Law said that in the next step, all local sports departments, relevant business functional departments of the General Administration of Sports, project management centers and individual sports associations should earnestly do a good job in the study, publicity and implementation of the "Notice", take active actions, and take effective measures. , to prevent and strictly investigate illegal and disciplinary violations such as gambling and match-fixing.
Those suspected of illegal crimes shall be handed over to the public security department in a timely manner.
The General Administration of Sports will carry out inspections and evaluations in a timely manner to ensure that the "Notice" is effective.
Our reporter Li Jinxia