Prague, Aug 21 (CTK) – The Czech branch of the Transparency International (TI) anti-corruption organisation on Monday launched a campaign highlighting allegedly unfair and unclear distribution of subsidies for sport, manipulations with results of games and the influence of the betting industry.
TI lawyer Sylvie Klobouckova said the financing of sport needs to be sustainable, predictable and transparent. TI wants to engage the general public in a discussion about a change of the present system, she said.
The campaign is a reaction to long-term problems with the financing of Czech sport, which is burdened with a number of corruption cases.
Earlier this year, deputy minister for sport Simona Kratochvilova, Czech football association head Miroslav Pelta and Czech Sport Association head Miroslav Jansta were accused of manipulations with sport subsidies. Education Minister Katerina Valachova, in charge of sport affairs, gave up her post due to the scandal.
The TI campaign has been joined by badminton player Petr Koukal, beach volleyball player Kristyna Hoidarova Kolocova and ice hockey players David Pastrnak and Martin Hanzal.
Klobouckova said TI tries to communicate with sport associations and improve their internal processes and rules. The cooperation with the Czech ice hockey association has recently been the most intensive. Still before the latest scandal, TI started cooperating with the football association, she said.
The TI campaign also wants to present big international scandals, such as that concerning the FIFA football federation and the organisation of large international events.
