BWF’s Integrity Unit Signed Strategic Partnership with MGA

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) announced its Integrity Unit has established a data-sharing agreement with the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) as part of its efforts to protect the integrity of the sport.

Monitoring Suspicious Betting Activity

The strategic partnership with the MGA will focus on monitoring suspicious betting activity on badminton matches and events administered by the sports body and will serve as a further display of the governing body’s commitment to maintaining a clean and fair competition in the sport.

“This partnership helps the BWF Integrity Unit protect the integrity of the sport with MGA helping to facilitate the sharing of data between betting operators and the BWF Integrity Unit,” said BWF secretary general, Thomas Lund, hailing the partnership “as being a deterrent to potential corruptors of the sport.”

As part of its anti-match manipulation operations, BWF gathers information about players, matches and competitions, analyzes the data in detail and uses intelligence in cases where analysis suggests possible match manipulation. For the MGA, signing data-sharing agreements with sports governing bodies is central to ensuring the proper function of the gambling regulator.

Antonio Zerafa, head of financial crime compliance at the MGA, commented on the strategic partnership, pleased to see the BWF join the long list of sports governing bodies “whom the Authority assists on a practical level,” and looking forward to working with their Integrity Unit on potential issues.

Fighting Doping and Match Manipulation

Based within the BWF office in the capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, the BWF Integrity Unit focuses on keeping badminton free from doping and match manipulation, managing the anti-doping and anti-match manipulation programs on a day-to-day basis, while raising awareness with the badminton community by providing information, education and implementing various deterrence initiatives.

The strategic agreement with the MGA is the second major development for the sports governing body’s Integrity Unit following an agreement with Stats Perform earlier in the month focused on monitoring live betting activities.

BWF’s Integrity Unit and Stats Perform announced a new partnership under which the data provider agreed to deliver its integrity services to the sport governing body, bringing its advanced technology to expand its capabilities to invest in suspicious betting events and identify corruption and help protect the integrity of the sport.