Anti-corruption

On-field corruption (match-fixing and related corruption) is an insidious threat to the essence of sport, corroding trust in the uncertainty of the outcome and thereby compromising the integrity of the sporting contest and undermining the efforts of the overwhelming majority of participants who play fair, and play to win.

Our team has years of experience dedicated to tackling on-field corruption in various sports, including:

• drafting anti-corruption rules and regulations,and ensuring that such rules and regulations remain robust and fit-for-purpose to deal with the ever-evolving threat that such corruption poses;
• ensuring that our clients’ investigative powers are as effective as possible, e.g., by giving them the lawful right to access suspects’ mobile devices and electronic communications for the purposes of anti-corruption investigations;
• providing advice in respect of anti-corruption investigations, including in respect of interaction with law enforcement agencies and other relevant stakeholders;
• the conduct of all aspects of anti-corruption cases, from charging advice through to advocacy at first instance and appeal hearings; and
• advising in respect of the education of participants and other steps to prevent them from falling victim to corruptors in the first place.

Case studies

International Cricket Council (ICC): For many years, we have regularly advised and represented the ICC on cases brought under its Anti-Corruption Code, including the landmark prosecution of Salman Butt, Mohammed Asif, and Mohammed Amir in 2010-11, ultimately securing lengthy bans of all three and successfully defending those bans when Butt and Asif appealed them to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. We also advise in respect of amendments to the ICC Anti-Corruption Code to ensure it remains effective in the fight against corruption in international cricket.

Rugby clients: We advise various clients, including the Six Nations and European Professional Club Rugby, in respect of all betting/match-fixing issues. 

Key Contacts

Jonathan Taylor, Richard Bush