The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) and its North American arm, SIGA AMERICA, have announced the date and hosting city of their much-awaited international expert forum on Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport, commonly known as The FITS Forum: June 13th, in New York city, USA.
The event will bring together some of the most influential authorities and key stakeholders from across the globe, in a strong demonstration of joint commitment to safeguard the financial integrity of global sports and press for long-overdue reforms. Amongst them is the adoption of the SIGA Universal Standards on Financial Integrity in Sport and the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS).
Co-hosted by SIGA AMERICA and one of the most prestigious law firms in the United States, Winston & Strawn LLP, the FITS Forum is an exclusive, by-invitation only and expert-driven thought leadership event. The programme includes keynotes from prominent industry leaders, insightful fireside chats and solutions-oriented expert sessions. Under the spotlight will be the following crucial topics:
- Financial Integrity & Transparency in Sport: Main Threats, Key Challenges and Pressing Reforms
- Following the Money. Safeguarding Sport from Corruption, Money Laundering and Criminal Infiltration
- Championing Integrity in Sport: Leading by Example through Good Governance, Transparency, and Independent Scrutiny
To debate these and other related pressing matters, SIGA, SIGA AMERICA and Winston & Strawn are releasing today the first round of speakers. The line-up of global leaders, senior executives and world-class experts includes, but is not limited to:
- Richard Weber, Partner, Winston & Strawn | Former Chief Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation, Department of the Treasury of the United States | Co-Chair, Permanent Committee on Financial Integrity & Transparency in Sport, SIGA
- Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Global CEO, SIGA | Chairman & CEO, SIGA AMERICA | Chairman & CEO, SIGA LATIN AMERICA | Executive Chairman, SIGA EUROPE | Founder & Former CEO, European Leagues and World Leagues Association
- Tyler Hatcher, IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Los Angeles Field Office, Department of the Treasury of the United States
- Kaitlin Farrell, Deputy Chief, General Crimes, United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of New York, United States
- Giovanni Tartaglia Polcini, Italian Magistrate | University Professor on Anti-Mafia and Judicial Diplomacy | former Co-Chair and current member of the G20 Anti-corruption Working Group | Chairman, SIGA
- Marlyen Habib, New York Federal Reserve
- Sean O’Malley, New York Federal Reserve
- Emilio Garcia Silvero, Chief Legal and Compliance Officer, FIFA
- Andrea Traverso, Director, Financial Sustainability & Research Director, UEFA
- Katie Simmonds, Global COO, SIGA | Managing Director, SIGAWomen
- Lazaros Ioannou, Director, APC Compliance – Anti-Money Laundering & Regulatory Consulting | SIGA Member
- David D. Chenkin, Managing Partner and Chair of Government Investigations, White Collar Defense and Anti-Money Laundering Group, Zeichner, Ellman & Krausse LLP
- Lukasz Turlej, Secretary General, International Chess Federation (FIDE) | SIGA Member
- Mohammed Ahmed, Global Anti-Corruption and Financial Crime Compliance Leader, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited
- Richard Gordon, Professor of Practice, Arizona State University | Member, SIGA Permanent Commitee on Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, SIGA Global CEO, and Chairman & CEO of SIGA AMERICA, emphasized the critical importance of this event:
“Nine years and one week after the devastating FIFAGate, it’s time to confront the reality and ask ourselves: what progress has been made since then? What have we learned from that case? Which reforms have taken root, and which ones remain on the drawing board or have been forgotten? Is football and the broader sports industry better governed, and more transparent and accountable today? Are governments, sports organizations, and law enforcement duly equipped to respond to the widespread emergence of new, financially sophisticated and complex global threats? And what about the sponsors, broadcasters and other commercial entities? How many of them really prioritize Sport Integrity before putting ink on paper, opening their wallets and investing their reputation?
Gathering senior representatives from government, international organizations, law enforcement, financial institutions, sports bodies, and the broader industry, the SIGA FITS Forum will find answers and solutions to these increasingly difficult challenges and pave the way for much-needed reforms”.
Speaking on behalf of Winston and Strawn, Richard Weber, the former US Chief IRS Officer who led the investigations into FIFA that gave birth to the FIFAgate case, stated:
“We are thrilled to host a critical and timely forum at Winston & Strawn focused on Financial Integrity and Transparency in Sport. Partnering with the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), we will engage with leading experts in the public and private sectors to discuss the impact of corruption, money laundering and financial crime in the sports and financial industries. This topic is particularly significant to me, as my former agency, IRS-CI, played a pivotal and leading role in the FIFA case nine years ago – one of the most significant international corruption cases ever filed. The dedication and efforts of all the special agents, prosecutors, and international law enforcement partners must be sustained to drive forward the crucial reforms needed to ensure the integrity of sport.”
Event Details:
- Date: June 13th, 2024
- Location: New York, USA
This is a by-invitation only event. Places are limited. To register your interest, please email SIGA at info@siga-sport.com, by no later than June 10th.
Stay tuned for more speakers and programme announcements.
– THE END –
ABOUT SIGA
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 the sport industry is governed under the highest integrity standards so that the values of sport are protected.
SIGA is the only organisation to bring together sport, governments, academia, international organisations, sponsors, business, rights holders, NGOs and professional services companies, from every region in the world, around a common cause of fostering greater integrity throughout sport.
SIGA is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, as a non for-profit association, and comprises of the following continental subsidiaries: SIGA AMERICA, SIGA EUROPE and SIGA LATIN AMERICA.
For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, please refer to the website: www.siga-sport.com and FAQs.
To contact SIGA, please email: comms@siga-sport.com.
@Sigalliance – Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin | #SIGA #SIGAWoW