KUALA LUMPUR (22 Feb 2021) – As part of the “Digital Learning” series, Qatar Football Association and ASEAN Football Federation will hold a second workshop between 23rd and 25th February 2021, aiming to raise awareness of – and to combat – fraud, match-fixing and illegal betting activities that distort the integrity of football.
This series takes place within the context of strengthening cooperation and activating the Memorandum of Understanding between the football federations, as well as reflecting the urgent need to share knowledge on the latest developments in this area.
This is the second consecutive webinar to be held by the QFA, with the participation of all 12 AFF Member Associations. Like the first, it is part of a new digital education series developed in partnership with the AFF in 2019. It is expected that 2021 will see further joint projects, including a number of workshops and webinars, within the framework of this agreement.
The webinar program includes several lectures to be delivered by a group of internationally known experts in this field. These lectures will focus on the importance of understanding the global impact of match-fixing. Additionally, it will promote skills in reporting related issues, raise awareness of the threats posed by sports betting to international football, and propose solutions including enhanced information exchange and well-defined common goals.
The second day of the webinar will discuss the security and safety of sporting events, during which participants will study examples from the English Premier League – providing insights that will help in managing policy and building supportive relationships in leading institutions. In addition, it will discuss the means of interaction and enable responsible teamwork between all interested parties, including clubs and supporters’ associations – not least in the area of securing safe access routes for people with special needs.
The webinar will bring together senior members of each organization, as well as representatives from Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Philippines, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste and Vietnam.
In the words of Mr. Saoud Al-Mohannadi, QFA’s Vice-President: “Qatar Football Association and the ASEAN Football Federation are honored to organize this series of webinars. We are thrilled to work together, once again, to progress our plans for promoting mutual consensus on the importance of capacity building in the ASEAN football sector, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
He added: “The second webinar in this series emphasizes the importance of international cooperation in all economic sectors, including the sports industry. That’s why it is crucial to create an opportunity for many football federations to interact, learn from each other and enhance their ability to overcome this pandemic. It is a unique opportunity to strengthen relations and pave the way for future cooperation between the QFA and the ASEAN Football Federation.”
AFF President Major General Khiev Sameth said: “This second webinar will discuss vital topics on football integrity, event safety and security. These are critical issues affecting AFF and our Member Associations who annually organise many domestic and international competitions. Our members will benefit from listening to the various experts who will share their experiences, knowledge and insights during the webinar.
“We also look forward to the session on Qatar’s experience in organising international events during the pandemic which will further enhance the competition’s safe management measures put in place by our Member Associations. Their excellent organisation of the FIFA Club World Cup earlier this month is a testament to their exceptional ability to manage a major event under challenging conditions. I am confident with the world-class speakers we have over the next three days, this webinar will be another successful session. I would like to thank Qatar FA and the officials from QFA and AFF who were involved in organising this online workshop series.”
