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The House of Lords International Agreements Committee has backed the UK Government’s proposed ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on the Manipulation of Sports Competitions.
Known as the Macolin Convention, the agreement is the first binding international legal instrument specifically designed to combat match-fixing and other forms of sports competition manipulation. The UK signed the Convention in 2018 but has yet to formally ratify it.
During its scrutiny, the Committee heard evidence from the Gambling Commission and former Crystal Palace footballer Moses Swaibu, who was convicted of match-fixing in 2013 and now works in sports integrity education.
Evidence highlighted football and tennis as particularly exposed to betting-related corruption, with lower levels of sport considered especially vulnerable. The Committee also heard that manipulation frequently crosses national borders and can involve organised crime.
The Committee said ratification would formalise existing cooperation and improve international intelligence sharing, while giving the UK representation on the Convention’s Follow-up Committee.
However, it cautioned that the Convention is not a complete solution and will not eliminate match-fixing or unregulated betting markets.
Committee Chair Lord Johnson said ratification was “a step in the right direction”, adding that international cooperation must form part of the response to a problem that is frequently transnational.
The report is due to be debated in the House of Lords on September 15. Read the report here
