The Council of the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) has unanimously renewed the mandate of Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros as Global Chief Executive Officer (2026-2030).
Adopted by unanimity and acclamation, the decision reaffirms the Council’s full confidence in his leadership and in the strategic direction pursued by SIGA since its foundation. The election will now be submitted for formal ratification by the SIGA General Assembly during its Annual General Meeting on 14 April 2026 in Lisbon, Portugal.
One of the most experienced and influential figures in international sports governance and law, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros is a leading sports lawyer and governance expert widely regarded as a visionary architect of modern sports governance and integrity frameworks.
He conceived and co-founded the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) and has spearheaded the organisation since its inception, shaping it into the world’s largest independent and neutral multi-stakeholder coalition dedicated to strengthening integrity, transparency and accountability across global Sport.
He was a co-founder and repeatedly unanimously re-elected CEO of the European Professional Football Leagues and of the World League Association, organisations representing professional football leagues in Europe and worldwide. He was also among the founders of the Sports Rights Owners Coalition and played a leading role in establishing the European Social Dialogue in the professional football sector under the auspices of the European Commission.
In parallel with his executive leadership, he has contributed to governance and policy initiatives involving institutions such as UEFA, FIFA, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the World Economic Forum, reinforcing his continued commitment to strengthening governance, transparency and integrity in Sport.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros’ electoral manifesto, presented under the title “Making Integrity Irreversible”, sets out a strategic agenda structured around two central imperatives: strengthening SIGA internally and expanding its global impact.
Key priorities for the coming mandate include:
- Consolidating SIGA’s institutional architecture and governance model across its global and continental structures;
- Strengthening financial sustainability through a diversified revenue model and the operational expansion of SIGA Sports Solutions;
- Accelerating global adoption and implementation of the SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity and the SIRVS verification, rating and certification framework;
- Positioning governance, transparency and integrity as core determinants of commercial trust and investment in Sport;
- Enhancing athlete protection and safeguarding through the continued development and implementation of SIGA’s standards on youth development and protection;
- Strengthening technological preparedness and integrity intelligence systems to anticipate emerging risks in global Sport;
- Expanding SIGA’s global networks, including SIGAWomen, the SIGA Youth Council, the SIGA University Network and the SIGA Champions initiative;
- Scaling SIGA’s global thought leadership through media engagement, strategic communications and high-level international forums.
Reflecting on his re-election and the priorities for the coming mandate, Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros said:
“I am deeply honoured by the confidence unanimously placed in me, and I thank all Council members for their trust and continued commitment to our shared mission.
SIGA’s leadership elections are conducted through a rigorous two-stage process involving both the Council and the General Assembly. It may be unusual in international Sport, but for me legitimacy means everything. Governance must be earned through trust, accountability and the confidence of our Members – and I would not have it any other way.
This renewed mandate is not about an individual. It is about completing the work we have collectively begun and ensuring that Integrity in global Sport becomes structural, measurable and irreversible.
The standards have been established, and the mechanisms are in place. The task now is disciplined delivery – ensuring that Integrity governs every decision, guides every organisation and drives every action across the global Sport ecosystem.
In the coming years, our focus will be on translating commitments into verifiable outcomes. Integrity must move from aspiration to expectation, and from voluntary alignment to institutional obligation.
Our mission remains clear, and today it is more important than ever: to ensure that every sport organisation, in every country, can demonstrate compliance with the SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity through independent verification, rating and certification. Only then will Sport be able to earn people’s trust everywhere and fulfil its full potential.”
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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.