Italian authorities and Games organisers will track betting patterns to prevent match-fixing at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Olympics, while also monitoring for any manipulation of competitions, the International Olympic Committee said on Tuesday.
The 16-day Games, starting on February 6, are the biggest winter multi-sports event in the world, with more than 3 000 participating athletes from over 90 countries.
The IOC said its new Joint Integrity Unit, set up jointly with Games organisers to ensure collaboration and quick exchange of information between sports disciplinary bodies and Italian law enforcement agencies, will operate between January 30 and February 24. The Games end on February 22.
“Integrity breaches can take many forms, from competition manipulation to bribery or unethical behaviour by accredited individuals,” said the IOC's chief ethics and compliance officer, Giuseppe Deleonardis, in a statement.
"Should criminal elements be involved, we will work with the Italian authorities, police and justice system, to share any relevant information."
One of the key tasks of the JIU will be to prevent match-fixing, with a betting intelligence system already in place to track irregular betting patterns and other suspicious activity related to the Games.
The IOC has set up similar units at every Games since the 2012 London summer Olympics.
While previous Games, summer and winter, have not been tarnished by a major betting scandal, they have been rocked by several high-profile doping scandals.