- Published:
- Tuesday 14 October 2025 at 4:04 am
Leading local and international experts from the sporting and racing industries, law enforcement, legal sector, wagering industry, sport governing bodies and intelligence agencies will converge in Melbourne today as part of a joint symposium hosted by Victoria Police, Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) and the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR)’s Sport and Recreation Victoria (SRV).
This year’s event will cover topics such as integrity and match-fixing, safeguarding participants, remotely piloted aircraft systems, sports tribunals and the racing integrity environment.
The symposium, to be officially opened by Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Mike Bush CNZM, will include a presentation from Sport Integrity Australia on the importance of their law enforcement partnership program in preventing and responding to criminal threats to sport, as well the need to remain vigilant to current and evolving integrity threats in sport.
Notable guest speakers from Australia and abroad include Dr Alexandra Veuthey from Switzerland’s Court of Arbitration for Sport, Commissioners from the Office of Racing Integrity in Victoria, Queensland and Tasmania, 2024 Victorian of the Year nominee and founder of registered charity ‘SmackTalk’, Wayne Holdsworth, Dr Michelle Gallen, CEO of the National Sports Tribunal, sports lawyer Paul Horvath and Magistrate Peter Reardon.
The keynote speaker is former New Zealand cricketer Lou Vincent who became the first ever cricketer to receive 11 life bans from cricket for involvement in match fixing. Lou now works with New Zealand Police and a host of sporting bodies as they work to protect the integrity of sport.
Victoria Police’s own Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit (SIIU) has successfully investigated offences committed across a diverse range of sports including football (soccer), tennis, racing and esports since its establishment in 2013.
The unit focuses on the continuous threat posed by organised crime groups and provides a range of supports to sporting organisations and regulators including integrity reporting and referral services to address a range of issues such as participant safeguarding.
Quotes attributable to Assistant Commissioner Cindy Millen, Intelligence and Covert Support Command:
“The conference highlights Victoria Police’s ongoing vigilance and commitment to protect the integrity of sport through the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit.
“Australia continues to see instances where our competitions are the focus of both domestic and international match-fixing syndicates. Investigations into this type of criminality require law enforcement agencies both across the country and internationally to respond with a coordinated approach, incorporating all our partners.
“This annual symposium complements the SIIU’s focus on collecting and sharing intelligence related to sporting integrity and mitigating the risk of infiltration by organised crime.
“The SIIU works with all racing and sporting bodies to enhance knowledge, assist with capacity building and raise awareness of integrity and corruption issues across all sporting codes.”
Anyone with information on integrity or corruption issues across sporting codes is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential report online at www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
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