Zurich was the host of a recently concluded inaugural meeting of the Integrity Task Force. FIFA took the initiative of establishing the task force to continue running on the lines of promoting and safeguarding the integrity of football. It was fruitful, coming days before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.
While the primary objective is to promote and safeguard the integrity of the sport, the Task Force will also monitor the in-game action in real-time, along with the market betting on FIFA throughout the event.
A similar initiative with a defined scope of the FIFA Arab Cup 2021 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019. It surely is not a task that the association itself can accomplish. FIFA has, therefore, partnered with several organizations for assistance in pursuing its endeavors. Qatar Safety & Security Operations Committee is on board with FIFA to take the Task Force initiative. Others who have joined hands are the Council of Europe, Group of Copenhagen, Sportradar, INTERPOL, International Betting Integrity Association, and the Global Lottery Monitoring System.
The United Nations on Drugs & Crime office has joined the initiative for the first time since signing a cooperation agreement with FIFA two years ago in 2020. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the FBI comes with years of experience in upcoming events. Additionally, the FBI will participate in preparing for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as per the latest sports news. FIFA World Cup Integrity Task Force further extends to connect with all 32 teams by inviting their integrity officers and appointed referees.
FIFA takes the matter of protecting the integrity of the game pretty seriously. It has been attempting to do the same for years and has always been successful. However, the different problems involved in FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 were recognized in a report submitted to Europe’s Committee on Culture, Science, Education, & Media.
All the unprecedented number of stakeholders got credit in the report. Excitement for fans and betting participants continues to rise as the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 approaches. The host will play the first match against Ecuador as a part of the Group A match. All 32 teams will compete in the group stage to qualify for Round 16.
The event will conclude on December 18, 2022, when the two best teams face each other for the world champion title. Eight groups have been formed for 32 teams. Preparations are near their end, and as the days go by, the need for having the Integrity Task Force will increase. Real-time monitoring by the task force will help keep the sport clean and fair. The more this initiative is promoted, the more other sports will look to implement the same task force within their respective scope.
