Badminton World Federation inks data sharing agreement deal with the Malta Gaming Authority

The Badminton World Federation (BWF) Integrity Unit has established a Data Sharing Agreement with the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). BWF’s alliance with the regulator forms "a key component of monitoring suspicious betting activity in badminton and further demonstrates the BWF Integrity Unit’s ongoing commitment to a clean and fair sport," the parties said in a statement.

Monitoring and investigations are a vital scope of BWF’s anti-match manipulation operations, whereby player information is gathered, matches and competition details are analyzed and intelligence is used in investigations into possible match manipulation.

Antonio Zerafa, MGA Head of Financial Crime Compliance, said: “I am very pleased to see the Badminton World Federation added to the long list of Sports’ Governing Bodies whom the Authority already assists on a practical level, and we look forward to working with the BWF’s Integrity Unit on any issues that may arise."

MGA signs Data Sharing Agreements with the Badminton World Federation. Read more: https://t.co/r9gVzjoEcM pic.twitter.com/LsEkkCBpIn

— MaltaGamingAuthority (@MaltaGamingAuth) March 9, 2023

Thomas Lund, BWF Secretary General, also commented: “This partnership helps the BWF Integrity Unit protect the integrity of the sport with MGA helping to facilitate the sharing of data between betting operators and the BWF Integrity Unit. We see this as being a deterrent to potential corruptors of the sport as we continue to preserve the integrity of badminton.”

Signing data-sharing agreements with Sports’ Governing Bodies is an essential part of the work conducted by the MGA, the watchdog says. The BWF Integrity Unit is an operational unit within the BWF office in Kuala Lumpur, which focuses on keeping badminton free from doping and match manipulation.

On a day-to-day basis, the Integrity Unit manages the anti-doping and anti-match fixing programmes, as well as planning and implementing awareness, information, education, and deterrence initiatives within the badminton community.