(ATR) Franco Frattini, an Italian magistrate with an Olympic history, will lead the Sport Integrity Global Alliance as it prepares to begin official operations.
Frattini was elected as the first chairman of SIGA at its general assembly held in Lisbon, Portugal and hosted by the Portuguese Olympic Committee and Portuguese Ministry of Sport.
Frattini’s election and appointment of SIGA’s executive committee are the culmination of two years of work by the International Centre for Security in Sport and many other organizations to establish the alliance. The first general assembly was held in November 2015.
According to SIGA’s Statement of Intent signed in April 2016 in Madrid, the organization aims to "work towards creating a new era in sport, moving collectively to implement across the community of sport SIGA’s Core Principles for Sport Integrity, and the corresponding universal standards, which together demonstrate the commitment of all signatories to the highest and best role of sport in society".
Frattini tells Around the Rings the organization will seek to eradicate the threats posed to fair play.
"We have to remove any kind of illegalities," Frattini tells ATR, "any kind of violations against the vulnerable categories of the young athletes that sometimes are even trafficked in very dirty activities involving a number of clubs around the world.
"So my conclusion is let’s go ahead together and having broader regulation, let’s respect and share our common value."
Before the election, Frattini most recently served as Justice and Chamber President to the Italian Supreme Administrative Court. He has 40 years of experience in politics, law and governance, once serving as European Commissioner between 2004 and 2008.
During his time as Commissioner, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi made Frattini the liaison between the Italian government and the Turin 2006 Winter Olympics to coordinate government assistance to the Organizing Committee.
Frattini was also instrumental in earning the International Olympic Committee Observer status at the United Nations, a feat which prompted the IOC to bestow upon him the Olympic Order in 2011.
He immediately begins his four year term as SIGA chairman and the arduous task of rooting out corruption within international sport.
Written by Kevin Nutley
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