Portuguese League to become a SIGA Member, adopt SIGA Universal Standards and go through SIRVS
The Portuguese Professional Football League (Liga Portugal) has put ink on paper and committed to become a member of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA). As part of the Cooperation Agreement signed this afternoon, Liga Portugal will also adopt and implement SIGA’s Universal Standards and go through SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS) as from the commencement of the 2022/23 football season.
Following the public signing ceremony of the Cooperation Agreement, the President of Liga Portugal, Pedro Proença, and the SIGA Global CEO, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, held a joint Media Conference in which also participated João Paulo Rebelo, Secretary of State of Sport and Youth of Portugal.
With this important agreement, Liga Portugal follows the footsteps of the European Rugby League – whose rating will soon be revealed – IMMAF, UEFA, Chess International Federation, Qatar Stars League, National Olympic Committee of Portugal and other sports organisations.
SIGA and Liga Portugal agreed to collaborate in relation to the promotion and implementation of:
- Sports’ positive values and social, educational and cultural role;
- Good governance, integrity, and transparency in Sport;
- Financial Integrity, Sustainability and Transparency in Sport;
- Prevention and fight against illegal betting and match fixing in Sport; and
- Youth development and child protection in and through Sport.
Pedro Proença, President, Liga Portugal, pointed out Integrity as a key factor in the promotion of Portuguese professional football:
“The path of rigour and transparency is fundamental for the next steps we want to achieve. Branding, credibility and defending the integrity of competitions are the greatest values we want to follow. Liga Portugal is happy to sign this agreement at a time when integrity problems are experienced, namely in sport, and good governance models are being discussed”.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, SIGA Global CEO, emphasised that the signature of this Cooperation Agreement is the first step towards enhanced governance across Portuguese professional football and stressed that action must follow to deliver the necessary reforms:
“Signing this Cooperation Agreement is a very important step. It reflects the unequivocal commitment of both parties to work together to ensure that the SIGA Universal Standards are effectively implemented, and the Liga goes through the independent, rigorous and objective scrutiny that only the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS) can offer. It is not an end in itself, but rather a means to structure and achieve these ends. That’s what we’re going to work on over the coming months.”
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ABOUT SIGA
SIGA is the world´s largest coalition in the field of sport´s governance and integrity. Supported by more than 100 international multi-industry supporters, SIGA is an independent and neutral organisation whose mission is to bring about meaningful reforms and enhance the integrity of all sports through a set of universal standards operated by an independent and neutral body. 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. Click on the hyperlinks for the list of SIGA Members and Committed Supporters and SIGA Partners.
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