Who we are?
SIGA is the world’s leading organisation for Sport Integrity.
We are creating a whole new landscape for the sports industry by delivering independent global rating and certification for world Sport to ensure it is governed and operates under the highest integrity standards: The SIGA Universal Standards.Funded by our Members, SIGA is a non for profit global independent organisation with one aim: To ensure sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
Why is there a need for SIGA?
The sport sector is facing an unprecedented crisis of governance and integrity.
High profile prosecutions, investigations, arrests, and bans have brought the sport sector from the back pages to the front, and, with it, heightened scrutiny and questioning from the public and fans it serves. These high-profile cases underscore the urgent need to apply democratic and corporate best practices in the field of sport. With many examples of sport integrity being undermined by some of the very institutions and individuals appointed as guardians of the system, the sport industry’s overall reputation is at stake.
The fundamental importance and attractiveness of sport in society and the consequent globalised commercial phenomenon with its significant economic footprint and growth trajectory have brought new challenges to the sport sector. Poor governance, obsolete regulations and lack of oversight have also facilitated the proliferation of corruption, transnational money laundering, tax evasion and bribery scandals, sports betting fraud and match-fixing, often with links to organised crime.
Sport has neither the capacity nor the jurisdiction to tackle these problems alone. To restore its reputation and public trust, sport needs to embrace a new culture and place good governance, financial integrity, transparency, accountability and independent oversight at the top of the agenda. Enhanced cooperation and concerted action are the foundation upon which this new culture must be built.
SIGA was created as a multi-stakeholder platform to unite the sports industry around collective action to instigate cultural change.
When was SIGA created?
On 02 November 2015, 20 organisations came together to create an informal coalition to lead an international private-public partnership to tackle the numerous and urgent challenges facing sport. The group included sports bodies, governments, anti-corruption NGOs, inter-governmental organisations, and commercial partners.
The group took a major step on 31 January 2017 by becoming a legal entity, as a non-for-profit association under Swiss Law. With offices in Geneva and Brussels, SIGA is fast expanding its global footprint with the creation of continental subsidiaries including SIGA EUROPE (Lisbon) SIGA AMERICA (Washington), SIGA LATIN AMERICA (Sao Paulo) and plans to create SIGA ASIA.
What is the vision and mission of SIGA?
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SIGA works towards a vision of sport played and governed under the highest integrity standards, free from any form of unethical, illicit, and criminal activity, to safeguard sports values and ensure its positive impact and benefits to all citizens. The mission of SIGA is to provide global leadership, promote good governance and safeguard the integrity of sport through a set of universal standards operated by an independent, neutral, and global body. |
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The vision and mission will continue to be informed by stakeholder inputs to ensure they reflects the needs and intent of SIGA’s global platform of Members, Committed Supporters and Partners. |
What are SIGA’s areas of reforms?
Today SIGA is the largest independent and neutral multi-stakeholder coalition in the field of sports governance and integrity. With over 100 members, committed supporters and partners from the world of sport, government, international organisations, business, and civil society, SIGA pursues a critical mission: to advance the adoption, implementation, monitoring and independent assessment of Universal Standards on Sports Integrity in four key areas:
- Good Governance in Sport;
- Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport;
- Sports Betting Integrity; and
- Youth Development and Protection.
You can read more about the SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity here.
By promoting best practices, universal standards, and credible global solutions, SIGA is ushering in a new era in the governance and integrity of sport. The establishment of SIGA’s Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS) operated by An independent third party, to oversee the implementation of key reforms is the game changer that will give those that invest in sport certainty that the sports properties they invest in are governed to the highest integrity standards.
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Where is SIGA based and where does it operate?
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland as a not-for-profit association, funded by its members, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA (Washington DC, USA), SIGA EUROPE (Lisbon, Portugal) and SIGA LATIN AMERICA (São Paulo, Brazil). SIGA ASIA and SIGA AFRICA are future continental structures on SIGA’s agenda.
How is SIGA funded?
Being the world’s largest, most representative, independent global coalition in the field of sports governance and integrity, SIGA maintains a close and very constructive relationship with its membership base. When joining SIGA, members are invited to submit the proposed annual fee to the SIGA Council for approval, with the lowest band being reserved for smaller, not-for-profit organisations and the three top highest bands, A to C, reserved for global business.
Through this proportionate, equitable and affordable contribution system, SIGA guarantees that membership is both accessible and beneficial to all organisations, while preserving SIGA’s indispensable independence and long-term sustainable development.
Check the Membership banding system and membership benefits here.
Partnerships and sponsorships are another key source of SIGA’s funding. SIGA actively searches for the engagement of partners and sponsors, allowing the organisation of high-quality programmes, whilst keeping costs under control.
Good examples of these partnerships include:
- Mastercard hosting the annual SIGA Summit on Female Leadership in Sport;
- underdog ventures team partnership of the 2022 #SIGAWomen Global Mentorship Programme;
- Partnerships of Sport Integrity Week 2022 including bsi, Santa Casa da Misericordia, Cascais and Central de Cervejas, Mastercard, Abreu Advogados and Galera.bet.
Who are SIGA’s current Members?
| Organisation | Membership Band |
|---|---|
| Access Earth | Band F |
| Accor | |
| APC Compliance | |
| APDD | Band F |
| Arena ESG | |
| Aspire Academy | Band E |
| C6 BANK | |
| ESIC | Band F |
| EPIC Risk Management | Band F |
| FIDE | Band F |
| Gamban | Band F |
| Government of Azores | Band D |
| ICSS | Band A |
| IPDJ | Band F |
| IMMAF | Band F |
| INEXTO | Band F |
| LEN Aquatics | Band E |
| LP Avocati | |
| Mastercard | Band A |
| Octagon | Band F |
| Passarelli | |
| Ponta Delgada FA | Band F |
| Ponta Delgada Municipality | Band F |
| Portuguese Swimming Federation | Band F |
| QSL | Band D |
| Starlizard | Band E |
| Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa (SCML) | Band E |
| São Paulo FC | Band F |
| Sicredi | |
| Sports Innovation Lab | Band F |
| Underdog | Band F |
| Vitória Sport Clube | |
| Yduqs |
Last updated: December 2022
Who can join SIGA, and how?
SIGA is a multi-stakeholder platform that unites the entire sports industry to promote greater integrity, accountability, transparency, and governance in Sport. All organisations committed to fostering Integrity in Sport are welcome to cooperate with SIGA. The levels of commitment range from becoming members, committed supporters and partners, to participating in SIGA’s thought leadership initiatives and events. Leagues, clubs, international federations, sports governing bodies, global sponsors, broadcasters, civil society, associations representing groups of stakeholders, athletes, fans, academia, governments. – there is space for everyone to contribute, at all levels.
Personal membership is currently not available. However, there are opportunities around every corner including participating in our wide range of thought leadership initiatives and events and joining one of our internal organs.
Interested in cooperating and working with SIGA to implement our vision of a clean Sport? Drop an email to SIGA’s COO: [email protected]
We invite you join our global movement. Be the Change. #StandWithSIGA