In an invitation letter sent by Integrity in Sport Assistant Director, Michaela Ragg, it says that “Bringing together representatives from the football world, government, the betting industry and law enforcement, the objective of this event is to raise awareness of the key contemporary match-fixing issues and threats in football.
It also aims at identifying gaps in the current international procedures and at making recommendations on good practice and areas for development.”
Faiivae and the other traveling members — FFAS CEO Tavita Taumua, FFAS Executive Committee member Rev. Ioane Evagelia, FIFA Disciplinary Committee member Muagututi’a Fiti Sunia, Vaitogi United Soccer Club President Senouefa Bartley, Atuu Broncos Soccer Club President Setu Moemoe, Tonga Vaiala Soccer Club President Chris Taimovai and FFAS Referee Department member David Crichton — depart for Samoa on Feb. 21 on their way to Fiji, where the conference will be held from Feb. 26-27, 2014.
“We are excited to attend this meeting on behalf of Football Federation American Samoa and of course our territory,” Faiivae explained. “This is a relevant issue in our sport and it is also a good way to arm our people in preventing match-fixing in American Samoa because it might happen here in the future.”
Oceania Football Confederation (OFC), Fiji Football Association (FFA) and also the Fiji Police are partnering up to organize the Interpol-FIFA conference “in order to ensure that it is directly relevant to the current issues faced by football (soccer) and law enforcement entities within the region,” according to the invitation.
The conference objectives are to:
• Develop knowledge and understanding of the global threat from match-fixing and irregular/ illegalbetting and its impact at national and regional level (What are the current tactics used by criminals to initiate match-fixing in football and likely trends in the future?);
• Identify current good practice and ways to prevent match-fixing and corruption in football and more effectively protect the future of the game;
• Further encourage global, regional and national bodies to work together more effectively in partnerships, regularly sharing information and taking action to
prevent and investigate match- fixing.
The Interpol Integrity in Sport Conference was started back in May 2011 with the main focus on prevention.
European and Asian conferences were held in 2013 as well as several countries such as USA, China, Russia and South Africa.
The contingent is to return to American Samoa on Feb. 28.