Sport Integrity Australia Launches National Match-Fixing Task Force Ahead of 2032 Olympics

Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) has launched a national match-fixing task force ahead of several international tournaments leading up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

Through this coordinated approach, Sport Integrity Australia aims to protect athletes, fans, and the reputation of Australian sport, ensuring fair play remains at the heart of every competition leading to Brisbane 2032.

The initiative will unite key organisations, including the AFL, NRL, Football Australia, Cricket Australia, law enforcement agencies, AUSTRAC, and wagering operators, to strengthen preventative measures against corruption and illegal betting. The first meeting of the task force will take place in Melbourne, where officials will outline collaborative strategies and response protocols.

Focus on Women’s Asian Cup and Integrity in Football

Sports Integrity Asia head of international relationships and strategy, James Moller, said football carries a higher risk due to its global popularity and heavy betting activity, particularly from offshore markets.

“Soccer in particular sees a lot of betting overseas, and our leagues are considered to have high integrity.” 

“Most of that betting is legitimate, it’s about identifying and prosecuting those rare instances of corruption,” Moller explained.

Moller added that there is no specific intelligence suggesting threats to the Asian Cup, but noted a global increase in betting on women’s sports, creating potential vulnerabilities — especially when players are underpaid or lack education about match-fixing risks.

“This isn’t about reacting to a threat, it’s about prevention.” 

“We want to make it clear that match-fixing is a criminal offence in Australia, and there’s a dedicated response from law enforcement,” Moller said.

The task force’s immediate focus will be the upcoming Women’s Asian Cup, a 12-nation football tournament hosted in Australia from March 1–21. The move follows a series of recent spot-fixing cases in Australian football, including former Macarthur Bulls captain Ulises Dávila, who pleaded guilty to manipulating yellow cards in A-League matches.

The task force will adopt a preventive and deterrent approach, conducting scenario testing to define the roles and responsibilities of each organisation in the event of suspicious betting activity.

The framework is expected to evolve and serve as a model for upcoming tournaments, including the 2026 Rugby League World Cup, the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup, the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup, and the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

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