- The Asian Football Confederation, in partnership with Sportradar, launches the AFC Integrity Education Programme to strengthen governance and protect the fairness of football across Asia.
- The initiative blends online modules on match-fixing, illegal betting, corruption, and digital threats with on-site practical training to empower integrity officers.
- The programme aims to build a self-sustaining network of experts who can deliver integrity training within their federations and safeguard the sport at every level.
The Asian Football Confederation has, in partnership with Sportradar AG, announced the AFC Integrity Education Programme-a landmark initiative that reinforces the integrity framework across Asian football. Designed as a flagship educational platform, the programme equips integrity officers with the relevant skills, confidence, and technical knowledge to prevent breaches that could compromise the fairness of the sport.
By empowering participants to conduct integrity training within their respective national federations, the AFC aims to create a self-sustaining network of experts capable of protecting football at every level across the continent. The online learning sessions kicked off the programme, with virtual modules on essential topics in integrity and sport governance: match-fixing, illegal betting, corruption, insider information abuse, and digital threats-all issues that have indeed taken on increased complication in today's global sports environment.
This provided the participants with a solid base regarding threats and prevention strategies, necessary for the more advanced, practical training given in the following on-site sessions. The on-site element supplemented the digital modules by focusing on how to deliver training, enabling integrity officers to learn how to run workshops and educational sessions within their own federations.
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Through more practical exercises and interactive teaching, participants received assistance on how to communicate core integrity principles in a dynamic and engaging way. This approach ensures that while content may be consistent across the region, officers retain the flexibility to address the unique needs and challenges within their local football communities. Furthermore, the face-to-face meeting also allowed for more effective collaboration between Member Associations and Regional Associations in support of a continent-wide network responsible for game protection.
AFC General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs Andrew Mercer, while underlining the growing relevance of the initiative, argued that the more Asian football succeeds on the world stage, the more crucially it needs to uphold the highest standards of governance and fair play. He stressed that integrity officers carry the responsibility to protect teams, competitions, and the core values of the sport, adding that this leadership will ultimately serve to strengthen football systems throughout the continent.
Andreas Krannich, Executive Vice President Integrity Services at Sportradar, added that true sporting integrity is not just about reacting to a threat, but rather about anticipating it. He hailed the AFC for establishing a global blueprint with its education-based approach, which empowers local leaders to drive integrity from within their communities.
Krannich said that combining extensive theoretical knowledge with practical tools to perform anti-match-fixing education, the programme will guarantee that officers are well-prepared to identify and deter threats before they even become evident. In doing so, the AFC and Sportradar will safeguard players, competitions and fans for generations to come.
