MACOLIN, Switzerland — Fifteen European countries have signed a treaty pledging better prevention and prosecution of match-fixing and corruption in sports.
Germany, Russia and Switzerland were among signatories on Thursday at a meeting of sports ministers called by the Council of Europe.
Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the 47-nation body, says the treaty is “a major step forward for integrity, ethics and transparency in sport.”
Member states agreed to improve international co-operation between law enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, and betting operators.
Jagland says officials from Israel, Japan and Morocco also attended the conference.
UEFA welcomed the treaty as it published a code of conduct agreed with European football leagues, clubs and players’ unions.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino says “it is important that the states acknowledge that (match-fixing) is a criminal offence.”