TIU Briefing Note April 2018

New recruits strengthen TIU investigative, intelligence and educational capabilities  

The TIU has recruited three new members of staff since the beginning of 2018, adding greater depth, expertise and capability to the unit’s investigative, intelligence and educational capabilities.

Karen Risby joins as an Investigator after a 20-year career as a detective with high profile deployments including Special Branch and Anti-Terrorist Units. After leaving the police she was Ethics and Compliance Manager with the US-based Supreme Group. This role involved carrying out integrity training and investigations associated with military operations in Africa and the Middle East.

With an increased focus on the use of Intelligence in combatting corruption in the sport, Steven Downes has been recruited as an Intelligence Analyst. He becomes the fourth member of the TIU Information and Intelligence team, bringing with him extensive experience gained in a number of police intelligence roles in London. Steven is a fluent Spanish speaker.

The third new recruit is Richard Sackey-Addo, who joined the Education and Training team in January as Education Co-ordinator. Formerly a University Tennis Co-ordinator with the Tennis Foundation and part of the ITF’s Coach Education Department in Valencia, Spain, Richard holds an MSc in Sports Performance, is an LTA certified tennis coach and Spanish speaker.

TIU Education and Training update

More than 550 players, coaches, tournament directors and agents received presentations and attended workshops and face-to-face meetings with the TIU Education team in the first quarter of 2018. This is in addition to over 2,500 players and officials who completed the online TIPP and

ITF Knowledge education modules in the same period.

Response to social media abuse has also been a focus with work across partners in the sport to establish a consistent policy to ensure players receive the best possible advice and support when subject to online abuse or corrupt approaches.

In February, education manager Matt Perry represented the TIU on the International Olympic Committee education working group on the Prevention of Competition Manipulations. The group met to discuss and review the development of an anti-corruption education tool kit for sports.

Match Alert Data: January to March 2018

During the first quarter of 2018, January to March inclusive, the TIU received a total of 38 match alerts through its confidential Memorandums of Understanding with gambling regulators and leading betting organisations. That figure is broadly in line with the same period over previous years:

• 2017 - 30 alerts
• 2016 - 48 alerts
• 2015 – 32 alerts

During the period 24,489 matches were played across all tournaments and events, with the 38 alerts featuring on 0.155% of those matches.

TIU match alert policy

• every alert is assessed and followed up as an indicator that something inappropriate may have happened.  It is important to appreciate that an alert on its own is not evidence of match-fixing;
• there are many reasons other than corrupt activity that can explain unusual betting patterns, such as incorrect odds-setting; well-informed betting; player fitness, fatigue and form; playing conditions and personal circumstances;
• where analysis of a match alert does suggest corrupt activity, the TIU will conduct a full, confidential investigation.

Independent Review Panel 

The Independent Review Panel set up by the governing bodies of tennis to review all aspects of the sport’s anti-corruption protocols, structures and resources has now considered the final set of representations and is completing its Interim Report for publication. Details of the timing and process of publication will be notified on the IRP website at www.tennisirp.com. All enquiries should be addressed to TennisIRP@northridgelaw.com

Next issue

The next issue of the TIU Briefing Note will be published in early July 2018.  To be added to the circulation, request a copy of the TIU Annual Review 2017 or for general enquiries, contact mark.harrison@tennisintegritytunit.com.