International Olympic Committee (IOC) will tackle illegal betting IOC President Jacques Rogge was hosting a summit of sports leaders, politicians, licensed betting operators and international police agency Interpol, and announced to create a task force to tackle illegal betting operations which he claimed to be as big as US$140 billion in 2010.

He called for urgent measures by each government to tighten gambling legislation and said "We need a broad collaboration with governments. These are mafia links and mafia people and they bet at the same time while manipulating the result of a match." He stressed being in favor of a system where betting operators have to be licensed by the government. He also said "Sports organizers, national federations and international federations would have a fair return for all their efforts for organizing the sport. They should be recognized with a return from financial income."

Hugh Robertson, British Minister for Sport and Olympics welcomed the IOC initiative and said "We can't be complacent. The integrity of sport is absolutely paramount. Fans must be confident that what they are seeing in front of them is fair and true. A unified, international approach can help tackle this threat head on. We need all sports to work with us on this and have clear penalties in place for those that jeopardize true competition in sport. Educating players must also be a crucial part of the solution.”

Deputy Secretary General
Aki AKITANI