There is a high risk of corruption in the organization of major public events, such as international sporting, cultural or high-level political events. This is largely because such events involve significant resources and large amounts of funds as well as complex logistical arrangements within very tight timeframes. That risk may be heightened by insufficient anti-corruption policies and systems in place within the host country. Even when strong policies and systems exist, the organization of a major event creates new opportunities for corruption and requires targeted action to identify, assess and manage this additional risk. In all instances, the organization of a major event offers an opportunity to demonstrate the efficacy of key corruption prevention measures and to leave a positive legacy of integrity in large public sector projects.
The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC or the Convention) constitutes a comprehensive framework for designing and implementing anti-corruption safeguards in the highrisk environment created by the organization of a major public event. This handbook refers to the relevant provisions of the Convention and identifies some effective corruption prevention practices applicable to various aspects of the organization of a major event. States parties to the Convention are expected to “endeavour to periodically evaluate relevant administrative measures with a view to determining their adequacy to prevent and fight corruption” (article 5 (3)). The parties may find it useful to consider, particularly if they are contemplating hosting major international events, whether their existing legal framework and administrative procedures are sufficient to control the complex activities and public disbursements typically involved in such undertakings.
The discussions that took place during an Expert Group Meeting1 clearly highlighted the need for a strategic risk management approach to the prevention of corruption during the organization of a major event. Specific elements of such a risk mitigation approach are reviewed in the handbook. However, the foundation of such an approach is a proper assessment of the risk of corruption associated with every major aspect of the organization of the planned major event.
A corruption risk assessment tool should be developed to assist the various agencies, governments and other stakeholders involved in bidding for or organizing a major international event. As a starting point for such an exercise, a “checklist” was developed to assist these stakeholders in reviewing their own preparedness and capacity to prevent, detect and respond to corruption while ensuring the successful organization of the event.
A Strategy for Safeguarding against Corruption in Major Public Events
