Who is …? Hein Verbruggen

Who is …?
Hein Verbruggen
Hein Verbruggen is President of SportAccord,
SportAccord formerly known as the General Association of International Sports
Federations (GAISF). SportAccord is a partner to WLA and ELS.
Biography
Hein Verbruggen was born on 21 June 1941 in Helmond
(NED).
Education
HBS-b
NOIB Nijenrode Business School (1964)
Career
Regional Sales Manager, Carnation Belgium, (1964(1964
1968); Product and Sales Manager, M&M/Mars (1969(1969
1975); independent
pendent consultant, Business Consultants Ltd.
(1975-2000)
Sports practised
Running, cycling
Sports administration
Member of the Board of the Fédération Internationale du
Cyclisme Professionnnel (1979-1982),
1982), Vice-President
Vice
(1982-1984) then President (1984-1991);
1991); President of the
International Cycling Union (UCI) (1991-2005)
(1991
then Honorary President (2005-);
); Council member of the World Anti-Doping
Anti Doping Agency (WADA) (1999-2002);
(1999
Board member of
ASOIF (2000-2003) then Vice-President
President (2003-);
(2003 ); Council Member of SportAccord (old GAISF), then ViceVice
President, acting President and President (2007-)
(2007
Awards and distinctions
Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau; Olympic Order (2010)
IOC History
IOC member from 1996 to 2005 and from 2006 to 2008; Honorary Member since 2008; President of the EvaluaEvalu
tion Commission for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in 2008 (2001); Chairman of
of the Coordination Commission
for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008 (2001-2008);
(2001 2008); member as IF representative of the EvaluaEvalu
tion Commission for the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in 2004 (1996-1997),
(1996 1997), Coordination Commission for the
Games of the XXVIII Olympiad in Athens in 2004 (1998-2001);
(1998 2001); member of the following Commissions: Marketing
(1997-2008),
2008), “IOC 2000” (1999), IOC 2000 Reform Follow-up
Follow
(2002), Olympic truce.
Who is …?
Hein Verbruggen
Interview
As SportAccord President you established a close relationship with the state regulated lotteries represented through the World Lottery Association and European Lotteries. What do you think it is that lotteries can give to your association and to sports?
The lotteries contribution to sport has played a crucial role in the development of sport to date. Contributing
around 2 billion Euros to European sport each year, many smaller clubs, teams and ‘sport for all’ events would
not be possible without the support of the lotteries. Today, the sports movement is confronted with a number of
challenges and opportunities. As the umbrella organisation for all sports federations, both Olympic and nonOlympic, we are seeking to assist our member federations in confronting some of these challenges and opportunities including doping, matters of integrity and social responsibility.
The support of the lotteries to SportAccord is crucial in our efforts to safeguard the integrity of sport. We’re proud
of the efforts that have been achieved over the last 12 months in launching a global programme to stop matchfixing in sport, an online education programme that would not have been possible without the support of the lotteries.
You have been a Council member of the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA. Do you think a similar organisation could address threats to Sports Integrity due to corruption in sport?
While coordinated efforts at the international and national levels are necessary across and between sports in order to avoid duplication of efforts, I don’t see it as essential that we create a new global organisation to tackle this
problem. As long as efforts taken with regard to education, prevention and communication are coordinated and
complementary, we will go a long way to tackling the problem. However, as a matter of efficiency, we are currently exploring whether an International Monitoring, Intelligence and Investigation system would be beneficial in
order to save on the current expenses of each sport monitoring their own events and investigating suspicious activities.
You have a long biography in the cycling world and WADA. How do you think the situation improved regarding doping during the last years?
It is getting more and more difficult for athletes to cheat and WADA has played a key role in pulling the fight
against doping truly out of the dark ages. Through WADA, there has been a combined international effort between the sports movement and the governments of the world to promote, coordinate and harmonise the fight
against doping in all its forms. The World Anti-Doping Code, which was unanimously accepted by all WADA
stakeholders, provides the legal framework for harmonised anti-doping policies, rules and regulations, and the
anti-doping organisations' testing programs are becoming increasingly intelligent and targeted. UCI is at the forefront of this "intelligent testing" and has already successfully implemented the biological passport in its antidoping program for several years now; the biological passport is a powerful tool that detects the biological fingerprint that doping leaves in an athlete's body. I have every reason to believe that intelligent testing will continue to
evolve rapidly in the coming years and that this, along with collaborations with pharmaceutical companies and law
enforcement agencies, will help catch cheats that might have slipped through the net in the past.
Do you think that doping is still the bigger threat to the integrity of sport than match fixing?
It is not wise to make such a comparison given that only football, tennis and cricket possess any monitoring of
their events, and this to a limited extent. No ‘WADA’ type structure for match-fixing exists with an International
Convention and Code as the basis that obliges states and federations to conduct tests and effectively ‘find’ the
doping cases. We are at the beginning of a global combat against a threat that is harming sport and has a potentially devastating influence on the integrity of sport.
Who is …?
Hein Verbruggen
What is your recommendation on how to fight match fixing and solve the problem of corruption in sports?
SportAccord has identified three priorities to assist our member federations in tackling the problem of match-fixing in
sport.
1. Development of ‘Model Rules on Sports Integrity in Relation to Sports Betting’. These Rules are continually updated
and include Model Rules about Regulation of participants’ betting activities; Regulation of competitions; Disciplinary
procedures and sanctions and Recommendations regarding data exchange
2. Development of an Education Programme in Relation to Sports Betting. The Global Programme to Stop Match-fixing
in Sport is composed of 5 pillars:
a) E-learning Programme ‘How to Prevent Match-Fixing from Destroying your Career’
b) SportAccord Guide to ‘Integrity in Sport: Understanding and Preventing Match-Fixing’
c) Code of Conduct on Sports Betting Integrity for Athletes and Officials
d) Model Rules on Sports Integrity in Relation to Sports Betting
e) Integrity Rules and Legislation Database
3.
Investigation of the Establishment of a Sports Betting Intelligence and Investigation System.
Some sports federations still believe that their sport is not in danger to fall to corruption and match fixing.
Do you agree with them and can you think of such sport?
Things are rapidly changing. 12 months ago, very few of our member federations recognised the problem of
match fixing. Only cricket, tennis and football had taken any concrete steps to combating the problem. Today, the
majority of our members acknowledge that there could be, if not already is, a risk for their sport and therefore that
prevention is better than cure.
What advice would you give to kids dreaming of a sports career in regards of corruption in their sport?
Play fair, play clean and play to win.
The London Olympics are approaching. Is there any special (new) sport you are looking forward to attend?
During the Olympics, I make it an obligation for myself to go and see all sports.
Contact
SportAccord
Sports’ Integrity Unit
Email: [email protected]