Regulations on unauthorized betting and manipulation of sports activities
1 § Betting and manipulation
1.1 General
It is prohibited to intentionally or negligently participate in betting and manipulation of sports activities as specified in these regulations. Specialidrottsförbund (SF) are entitled, in their by-laws and competition regulations, to provide for sanctions or make other additions to these regulations.
All SF, specialidrottsdistriktsförbund (SDF), distriktsidrottsförbund (DF) associations and IdrottsAB, elected officials and other leaders, athletes, referees and other match officials have an obligation to be aware of the at each time prevailing stipulations of these regulations. SF has an obligation to work to prevent prohibited betting and manipulation within the federation and affiliated associations, and draw up a plan for information and education.
All legal and natural persons referred to in Chapter 14. 1 § The Swedish Sports Confederation (RF) by-laws are covered by these regulations. If animals are used as part of the betting or manipulation, this will not result in sanctions against the animal.
In order to be subject to punishment, an offense must have occurred in conjunction with activities organized or sanctioned by an organization within RF.
In the application of these regulations, the term competition also applies to competition-like arrangements, e.g. but not limited to training sessions and presentations at which the rules of the relevant sport generally apply.
1.2 Betting
Athletes, elected officials and other leaders, referees and other tournament officials or others who can influence the outcome of a competition or part of a competition, may not themselves or by proxy, whether within or outside the country, bet on the outcome of the competition or other conditions of any kind relating to the competition, e.g., but not limited to various parts of the competition as are relevant to competition regulations of sport in question.
1.3 Manipulation
It is prohibited to participate in or in any other way contribute to the manipulation of the result of a competition or part of a competition that is the subject of betting, regardless of whether the person, either by him- or herself or by proxy, has bet on the result.
If an athlete, an elected official or other leader, referee, other competition official or any other person that has the power to affect the outcome or part of a competition is approached by anyone in order to participate in betting or other manipulation as specified, that person is required to immediately notify the relevant SF of this.
1.4 Preparation and attempt
Attempt to commit an offense as well as preparation for offense are prohibited according to these regulations.
1.5 Conspiracy and accessory
Every form of aiding and abetting the offenses under these regulations is prohibited, as are offering to commit the offense, receiving or giving money or other payment for an offense, or to cover costs associated with the execution of the offense. It is also prohibited to persuade or attempt to persuade another to commit offense under these regulations.
1.6 Duty to report
Any athlete, coach/leader, referee or other tournament official, as well as any board member of an association and federation that becomes aware of betting or manipulation prohibited in accordance to these regulations, is obliged to immediately inform the relevant SF.
§ 2 Evidence
The parties are responsible for providing evidence. The punishing body may, however, decide whether evidence or other materials should be brought in.
In the examination of a case the punishing body must take into account all relevant circumstances, including the confession of the accused.
It is the responsibility of the accusing party to prove that a crime has been committed.
The standard of proof is higher than a probability assessment, but lower than beyond a reasonable doubt.
If the defendant does not aid the investigation, e.g. does not appear for a hearing, the punishing body may consider such failure to participate to the detriment of the defendant.
Information provided by a referee or other competition official should be taken under special consideration, unless the rest of the investigation indicates otherwise.
Facts established in a binding judgment or decision given by a court, arbitration panel or other agency may be used as the basis for assessment by the punishing body, unless the defendant can demonstrate that the decision is contrary to fundamental principles of law.
§ 3 Processing of penalty, etc.
3.1 Reporting and prescription
Anyone may report an offense under these regulations.
If the case refers to a person other than those specified in Chapter 14. 1 § RF’s by-laws, the matter shall, as appropriate, be handed over as soon as possible to the appropriate national or international sports bodies.
Report of an offense must be received within 10 years from the date the offense was committed (prescription).
3.2 Punishing body
Penalty shall in the first instance be handled by SF.
Riksidrottsnämnden (RIN) is the second and final instance.
3.3 Processing
The punishing body shall provide the accused with opportunity to comment on the report. The report may be tried even if the defendant does not respond.
The parties shall be provided with all documentation and other materials cited in the case.
A party may appoint a representative. The representative must, upon request, be able to approve his or her eligibility through a power of attorney.
All organizations and individuals in RF are obliged, upon the request of the punishing body, to provide statements and other information. Anyone accused of an offense, or any other person who according to § 1.1 above is covered by these regulations, is obliged to appear for a hearing when called by the punishing body.
The punishing body may decide to hold a hearing. The parties must be called to such a hearing,
Parties are responsible for their own costs in the case. Costs for production of evidence or other material that the punishing body calls for on its own initiative are covered by the punishing body.
If a party, witness or other person to be heard in a case, does not speak Swedish or has a hearing or speech impairment, an interpreter may be hired. SF and RIN will, respectively, appoint and compensate an appropriate person to assist as an interpreter. A person who has a conflict of interest in relation to the case or any party involved in the case may not be appointed as an interpreter.
A hearing must be held when the defendant requests it.
A protocol must be kept during processing.
Penalties must be processed with the utmost urgency.
3.4 Suspension during investigation
When a report is made, the punishing body may, before the defendant has been heard, decide to suspend the individual until further notice or until the process has been concluded, if it is likely that the offense will lead to suspension.
Suspension during investigation shall include participation in all competitions and presentations as well as any other assignments, within all sports.
If a decision of suspension is reached, the suspended individual, his or her association or IdrottsAB, SDF and SF, shall be notified within three days.
§ 4 Penalties
4.1 Fines
For an offense under these regulations an association or IdrottsAB shall incur a fine of a minimum of SEK 10,000 and a maximum of SEK 500,000. Fines must be paid to the SF under which the offense has been committed and no later than four weeks from the date of notification of the decision. Fines shall be used within the relevant SF in efforts to counteract prohibited betting and manipulation.
4.2 Suspension
For an offense under these regulations a natural person shall be sentenced to suspension of a maximum of 10 years. For an offense under § 1.3 the suspension must be of at least 1 year. A suspension entails that the offender is prohibited from participating in any form of organized sports activities in any SF belonging to RF. The suspension includes training, competitions, presentations and the carrying out of any other duties or assignments.
4.3 Reduction of suspension
When establishing the length of suspension, the youth of the guilty party must be considered.
When the individual accused of an offense has aided the investigation by providing information that was relevant to the punishing body’s determination that an offense has been committed, the time of the suspension may be reduced. Time may also be reduced if the defendant can demonstrate mitigating circumstances, such as the defendant having been subject to violence or serious threat.
The period of suspension may be reduced by at most half. The final decision must state the time of suspension that would otherwise have been issued.
4.4 Repeated offenses
If, after a first offense has been penalized, it is shown that it punished party has committed an offense before he or she was informed of the first offense, a new penalty must be imposed with regard to what penalty would have been determined if the offenses had been tried at the same time.
Repeated offense, after a suspension has been imposed, is an aggravating circumstance that shall lead to a more severe penalty.
4.5 Time of suspension
A decision regarding suspension shall include information about the first and last day of suspension. The suspension must begin within a week of the day of the decision. However, if the defendant has been suspended during the time of the investigation, according to § 3.4, the period of suspension shall be counted from the date of this suspension.
4.6 Violation of suspension
If the suspended individual does not comply with the regulations regarding the suspension, the time of suspension shall be extended by a period corresponding to the initial time of suspension. This period shall be counted from the date of the violation, or, in the case of several violations, from the latest violation. Violation according to this paragraph shall be processed in accordance with § 3 above.
4.7 Other consequences
In addition to the penalties under these regulations, SF has the right, by virtue of the provision in its competition regulations, to decide on other consequences of the offense, such as to suspend payment of athletics-related financial support or the provision of other athletics-related benefits to the athlete.
4.8 Effects of a decision on penalty
Penalties adopted according to these regulations have a global effect.
5 § How to appeal
5.1 Right of appeal
A party to the case, or anyone who by the SF has been granted standing, may appeal a decision by SF to RIN.
RIN’s decision may not be appealed.
5.2 Time for appeal, etc.
Anyone who wants to appeal a decision must do so in writing. The appeal must be received by RIN within two weeks from the date when the decision was announced. Appeal against the decision to suspend an individual under investigation under § 3.4 above is not limited to a certain time.
Has the appeal been received by the wrong body, but in time, the appeal is deemed to have been made within the prescribed time, even if it is received by RIN after the time period stated the first paragraph.
If the appellant can demonstrate on objective grounds that the appeal period could not be observed, the appeal is admissible even though it was received by RIN after the end of the appeal period.
An appealed decision may not be changed without providing the other party with an opportunity to comment on the appeal. Otherwise, all relevant parts of § 3 above apply.
§ 6 Expediting and announcement of decisions, etc.
A decision should, even if it has been communicated in another manner, be sent within three days to the parties and to the association or IdrottsAB of the defendant, as well as to the relevant SDF and SF.
Decisions should, by the authority of the punishing body, be announced in RF’s official bulletin and on www.idrottenskungorelser.se. The same applies if RIN changes SF’s decision.
SF and RIN shall maintain a record of all penalties under these regulations.
7 § Waiving a suspension
If an individual has received a penalty of suspension of at least four years, RIN may under certain circumstances, after at least three quarters of the suspension has passed, at the request of the suspended individual waive the remaining time of suspension, in full or in part.
Decisions are expedited and announced in the manner specified in § 6 above.
§ 8 Reporting offenses
Anyone who wants to leave a tip regarding prohibited betting or prohibited manipulations according to these regulations can do so over the phone, via a web-based form, or by email. Tips may be submitted anonymously. RS issues regulations on the handling of such information.
§ 9 Personal data
Processing of personal data collected, stored and processed for the purposes of these regulations shall be in accordance with the Personal Data Act (1998: 204).
§ 10 Other information on applicable regulations
In addition to these regulations, the applicable sections of Chapter 14. of RF’s by-laws shall also apply.
11 § Entry into force
These regulations were established by the RF General Meeting 29-31 May 2015 and enter into force on 1 June 2015.
A reported offense shall be assessed and penalty determined in accordance with the regulations in force when the offense was committed.