IOC to set up illegal betting watchdog organization

October 25, 2010

The International Olympic Committee is looking to set up the equivalent of the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) dedicated to eradicating illegal betting on sports.

The IOC already has a system in place that monitors sports betting and so far the Beijing and Vancouver Games have come through unscathed without any incidents.

IOC President Jacques Rogge says that it will take time to establish a viable agency and it took seven years to create WADA so he doesn’t expect a short term solution. Working with all the governments to coordinate harmonization is challenging and will take research and study.

Rogge affirmed that the IOC is going ahead with the plans and has already drafted regulations penalizing athletes, anesthetist coaches and officials involved in illegal betting.

The IOC plans to meet with government leaders in the beginning of next year to hammer out a universal policy against illegal betting along the same lines as the same model used to set up WADA.