SIGA is proud to announce the signing of a landmark Cooperation Agreement with the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA).
The Cooperation Agreement was signed today at the House of European Football in Nyon by UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin and SIGA CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros to enhance dialogue and cooperation aimed at safeguarding the long-term integrity of the game in Europe.
Both organisations have committed to work together and mobilise their strengths to develop, protect and promote the integrity of football across the European continent, in the areas of good governance, ethics and the protection of vulnerable participants.
The Agreement highlights the common priorities of SIGA and UEFA and the shared determination to implement the highest ethical standards at every level of the football industry.
The document sets out a number of thought leadership projects to deliver an integrity programme of global standing. Initiatives will also encompass events, workshops, research and training on areas of common concern.
At the signing of the accord, UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin said:
“The challenges facing sport and society cannot be resolved by individual action.
“Knowledge sharing and constructive dialogue are essential to make sure that organisations are in the best position to tackle those issues. This agreement with SIGA, a valued partner and a global leader on sport integrity, is therefore an important step in this direction”.
SIGA, CEO Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros added:
“This landmark Cooperation Agreement ushers in a new era for sport integrity. Founded on a strong reformist spirit, this agreement will give rise to an integrity programme of global standing and embed the highest standards of ethics and governance in the game across the European continent.
“UEFA and its President Aleksander Čeferin continue to blaze a trail for integrity in football. This is a shared pledge and sends a powerful signal to all organisations who care about integrity in sport. Now is the time to join with SIGA and UEFA, and support our proposals to deliver ‘clean sport’ at all levels”.
In addition, the announcement has been welcomed by SIGA members across our organisation:
Franco Frattini
SIGA Chairman; President of the Supreme Court of Justice for Sport; President of SIOI; former Vice President of the European Commission and Minister of Justice of Italy
“The Cooperation Agreement SIGA-UEFA is a major step in the worldwide efforts from SIGA to disseminate key moral, institutional and legal principles on integrity and countering illegality in sports. Having UEFA with us will encourage a positive contamination towards the sport movement, public-private entities and international institutions!”
Mohammed Hanzab
Chairman of the International Center for Sport Security; Vice Chair, SIGA
‘’In order to achieve the highest standards of good governance, integrity and ethics in sport – we need bold leadership and close collaboration. Through this agreement, between SIGA and UEFA, we have two strong leaders in sport working together for the good of sport and specifically for football. As a founding partner of SIGA, the ICSS works tirelessly to help safeguard sport and I commend the leadership of UEFA and SIGA for their shared values and shared commitment to cleaning up the game, ‘’
HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein
Founder of AFDP Global
“Congratulations to my friends at UEFA and SIGA on signing this groundbreaking Cooperation Agreement. Today’s accord is a powerful demonstration of how integrity in sport can be secured and safeguarded for future generations. The multiple threats to sport’s integrity cannot be addressed by working in isolation. Working together with a shared commitment to the highest ethical and governance standards, UEFA and SIGA will be a powerful force for integrity in football across Europe.”
Lord John Stevens
Chairman, Ethics Committee, SIGA; Chairman, Quest; former Commissioner of the London Metropolitan Police
“The coming together of SIGA and UEFA in a leading good governance and integrity initiative represents a landmark achievement for the world of sport. This is a milestone event as it adds a key international sporting organisation to the group of significant international organisations with whom SIGA is already collaborating. Congratulations to both organisations for having the initiative to make this happen.”
The Rt Hon Richard Caborn
Former UK Minister for Sport
“For one of sports most influential organizations UEFA to enter into an agreement with SIGA to move the debate on Sport Governance and Integrity forward in such a practical way is very significant and should be welcomed by the world of sport.
“This agreement sets a new benchmark on the way a new order for tackling the major issues on integrity in sports can be evaluated and resolved.
“The proposals to produce a White Paper on Sports Integrity and Good Governance should be supported by other bodies and organisations who are involved in sport and have an interest in delivering “clean sport”
“Also to give support through “Sports Integrity” to Globally Advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals is a very welcome development.
“This initiative and the support it receives from the world of sport will test how seriously sport takes integrity.”
Pedro Machado
Director Legal of Bank of Portugal and Chairman of the SIGA Audit & Compliance Committee
“The Cooperation Agreement signed between UEFA and SIGA is a major milestone for those who believe that integrity is one of the core values underpinning sports. The growing global impact of football vests it with the responsibility of being a leading example in sports.
“I’m pleased to see that this Agreement signals the firm commitment of UEFA to foster integrity in football and have such a globally relevant sports abiding by highest standards on good governance and ethics.
“This Agreement marks also the recognition of SIGA as a global leader in the field of sports integrity. I’m confident that both parties will honour truly their commitments and turn football a leading example for sports integrity.”
Rick McDonnell
Executive Director, Association of Chartered Anti-Money Laundering Specialists; former Executive Secretary, Financial Action Task Force – OECD; current member of the SIGA Council
‘’The signing today of a cooperation agreement between UEFA and SIGA is a significant step towards ensuring the long-term integrity of football. Those who love football should applaud this initiative.’’
Densign White
CEO, International Mix Martial Arts Federation; member of the SIGA Council
“The cooperation with UEFA marks a potentially watershed moment in SIGA’s mission to advance good-governance, integrity, ethics and youth protection in sport. It is a credit to SIGA’s reputation and tremendous work carried out so far, that UEFA has elected to cooperate with SIGA in the prevention and investigation of match manipulation and other assaults on sport integrity. It also demonstrates UEFA’s real commitment to good governance and transparency, as the federation voluntarily opens itself up to independent auditing, which is not a requirement of the international sport establishment. I hope that many more sports federations will follow UEFA’s example.”
Shellie Pfohl
Executive Director, US President’s Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition; former CEO of US Centre for SafeSport; current Special Adviser for SIGA AMERICA
“The cooperation with UEFA marks a potentially watershed moment in SIGA’s mission to advance good-governance, integrity, ethics and youth protection in sport. It is a credit to SIGA’s reputation and tremendous work carried out so far, that UEFA has elected to cooperate with SIGA in the prevention and investigation of match manipulation and other assaults on sport integrity. It also demonstrates UEFA’s real commitment to good governance and transparency, as the federation voluntarily opens itself up to independent auditing, which is not a requirement of the international sport establishment. I hope that many more sports federations will follow UEFA’s example.”
David Luna
President & CEO, Luna Global Networks; former Senior Director, US Department of State and Chairman of the OECD Task Force on Countering Illicit Trade; current member of the SIGA Council
“The partnership between the UEFA and SIGA is a game-changer in helping to anchor integrity across the international sport sector. We must clean up sport and confront the webs of corruption and criminality eroding its credibility and trust among fans and communities. This important UEFA-SIGA alliance can galvanize greater action with federations, teams, and other partners around the world to promote the highest standards and values of honest governance and a vision of a fair and clean future for sport.”