White Paper 1.3 Corruption and Human Rights in the Sports Context

This White Paper gives an overview on the most frequent corruption risks linked to mega-sporting events (MSEs), including:

• Corruption within bidding processes
• Corruption in contracting
• Corruption undermining due diligence and regulations.

Over the last three decades as MSEs have become a more and more a sought after instrument by which to demonstrate a country’s economic and political strength, its ability to organise big events, and its status in the international community, the risk of corrupt practices to win bids to host these events has increased enormously.

As a bidding city and the respective country have to invest a huge amount of money and prestige in order to stage an MSE, the pressure to succeed is high and may increase the risk of achieving the goal - not just by fair lobbying.

This White Paper is one of 11 papers published in January 2017 as part of the Sporting Chance White Paper series. The series aims to present the latest thinking, practice, and debate in relation to key human rights issues involved in the planning, construction, delivery, and legacy of mega-sporting events (MSEs). Each paper also considers the case for, and potential role of, an independent centre of expertise on MSEs and human rights. Each White Paper has been published as “Version 1” and the MSE Platform would welcome comments, input, and expressions of support with regard to future iterations or research on this and other topics.