ICSS & WPBSA Announce Partnership

The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) and the International Centre for Sport Security (ICSS) have announced a new Global Integrity Partnership.

The partnership was announced at The Indian Open in New Delhi and will see the two organisations work in collaboration to protect and enhance the integrity of professional snooker. The WPBSA will be able to take advantage of the ICSS’ global source network, particular with regards to integrity training and education, monitoring of international betting on Snooker, investigation advice and support, and intelligence gathering.

The new agreement has been developed to enhance international snooker’s monitoring and detection mechanisms, safeguarding the sport’s position as one of the leaders in anti-corruption strategies.

Mohammed Hanzab, President of the ICSS, said: “On behalf of the ICSS, I would like to thank the WPBSA who have already shown their commitment to safeguarding the integrity of sport.

“Whilst many acknowledge the challenges the sports industry faces, the development of comprehensive integrity programmes not only shows strong leadership, openness and transparency but the determination to eradicate behaviour that threatens the very foundation of sport and its core values.”

Chris Eaton, Director of Sport Integrity at the ICSS, said: “This landmark partnership clearly demonstrates to all stakeholders that the integrity of the sport is of the utmost priority for the WPBSA.

“It is crucial that sport governing bodies show proactive leadership in this area and I look forward to working with the WPBSA to develop new programmes that build on the work already being carried out by Jason Ferguson and his team.”

Jason Ferguson, Chairman of the WPBSA, added: “We are proud to carry the global weight of the ICSS network within our sport. This new agreement with the ICSS demonstrates the WPBSA’s commitment to integrity and our message to those who think about fixing matches is clear. We are watching, we will identify it, we will investigate, it has no place in our sport.

“At the WPBSA, we have already introduced a number of measures to safeguard the integrity of snooker, and we believe our global integrity partnership with the ICSS represents the next important step in the development of the WPBSA’s integrity strategy. I look forward to working with the ICSS’ Integrity team to implement the first ever programme of betting monitoring on international snooker, and also to capitalise on the unique expertise and capabilities the ICSS offers in the field of integrity.”