African NOCs Further Strengthen Their Commitment to Preventing Competition Manipulation
As efforts to prevent competition manipulation (PMC) continue to gain momentum across the Olympic Movement, an increasing number of African National Olympic Committees (NOCs) are taking proactive steps to promote integrity in sport. Through awareness-raising, education and prevention initiatives, they are demonstrating a strong commitment to safeguarding fair play and protecting the values of the Olympic Movement.
IOC–INTERPOL Regional Workshop in Zimbabwe
From 30 June to 1 July, the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL), in partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), held a regional workshop in Harare, Zimbabwe, as part of their Global Capacity Building and Training Programme on sports competition manipulation. The workshop brought together representatives from Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda and Zimbabwe, to strengthen national and regional efforts to combat competition manipulation and protect the integrity of sport. ANOCA was also represented.
During the two-day workshop, participants heard the powerful and inspirational story of Zambian PMC Ambassador Mweetwa Nchimunya Abishai before engaging in discussions and practical exchanges on preventing, detecting and investigating competition manipulation. The programme focused on understanding the different forms of competition manipulation and related criminal activities, clarifying the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, assessing existing national cooperation mechanisms, and identifying best practices to enhance collaboration and information-sharing between sports organisations and law enforcement authorities.
Strengthening the regulatory framework through the adoption of the OM Code PM
NOCs are reminded that compliance with the Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of Manipulation of Competition (OM Code PMC) is mandatory under Rule 27 of the Olympic Charter.
On 11 January 2026, the Board of Directors of the Egyptian Olympic Committee officially adopted the OM Code PMC. Adoption of the Code is also mandatory for National Federations. Mohamed Abdelalim, the NOC Single Point of Contact (SPOC), confirmed: “The Code applicable to national federations will be circulated to all Egyptian sports federations for presentation to their respective boards of directors and for adoption. Already, lots of work has been carried out. The Egyptian Olympic Academy has integrated the Prevention of Manipulation of Competitions (PMC) as a mandatory subject in all its educational programs, with dedicated lectures already being delivered in coaching, sports injuries, and sports massage courses, while awareness initiatives are also being organized for the Egyptian delegation to the Mediterranean Games.
In addition, agreements have been reached with national sports federations and sports clubs to provide PMC education and awareness sessions to athletes, technical staff, and sports institutions nationwide, with the goal of promoting widespread understanding of competition integrity across the Egyptian sports community.
NOCs Integrate PMC into National Federation Workshops
Many African National Olympic Committees have started integrating PMC into their training programmes for National Federations, recognizing that dedicated capacity-building sessions are essential to strengthening integrity, enhancing cooperation, and reinforcing the role of National Federations within the Olympic Movement.
The National Olympic Committee of Benin delivered on 10 July a Sports Administration Course for representatives of the national sports federations. The programme included a dedicated PMC session focusing on the respective roles and responsibilities of the NOC and National Federations in safeguarding the integrity of sport. The discussion highlighted the importance of education and prevention as key tools in protecting sport from the threat of competition manipulation.
The National Olympic Committee of Mauritania organised on 16 July a training session for their National Federations executives to empower their constituents in the fight against competition manipulation. The session highlighted the key actions National Federations can take to raise awareness among athletes and sports personnel.
After a successful IOC-INTERPOL workshop, the drive to protect integrity in sport continued with the National Olympic Committee of Zimbabwe delivering on 17 July a one-day capacity building workshop for national federations on several topics. A panel discussion on safeguarding integrity in sport and preventing competition manipulation featured PMC Ambassador Mweetwa Nchimunya Abishai.
NOCs Promote PMC Through Athlete Engagement Activities
An increasing number of African National Olympic Committees are incorporating PMC awareness-raising sessions into their education programmes for athletes, entourage members, and national delegations, establishing them as a regular and integral component of their integrity initiatives.
The Lesotho National Olympic Committee delivered a training session for its Commonwealth Games delegation on 22 April, focusing on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (PMC).
As part of its Olympic Day celebrations on 20 June, the National Olympic Committee of Namibia delivered a PMC awareness-raising activity, reaching more than 700 athletes. The NOC CEO Anri Parker called on emerging athletes to uphold the values of fair play and compete with integrity, while encouraging them to remain vigilant against threats such as match-fixing and betting-related misconduct.
The Journey to Safeguard Integrity in Sport Continues
NOCs wishing to learn more about the prevention of competition manipulation, the adoption of the OM Code PMC, or awareness-raising and education activities can contact the OM Unit PMC at omunitpmc@olympic.org and connect with ANOC and fellow NOCs to exchange experiences and share best practices.
Protecting the integrity of sport is a shared responsibility. By working together, African NOCs, National Federations, athletes and partners can build a stronger and more resilient sporting environment for future generations.
