THE MANIFESTATION OF WHISTLEBLOWING IN SPORTS ARBITRATION IN WESTERN ROMANIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24193/subbeag.70.sp.iss.2.44Keywords:
Whistleblowing, referees, football, handball, corruptionAbstract
Introduction: In many social areas, as well as in sports, corruption is one of the most complex challenges threatening integrity. Referees, as key players in sports games, often face moral dilemmas, external pressures, and situations involving ethical decisions. In this context, whistleblowing practices have become an important factor in identifying and combating illegitimate practices. Objective: The purpose of this study is to identify the level of awareness, perception, and behavior of referees towards the phenomenon of match fixing. Material and Methods: The study involved 100 football and handball referees, members of the County Referees’ Associations in Timiş and Caraş-Severin counties. The data was collected using an adapted version of the FIFPro ‘Don’t fix it! questionnaire (2014), adjusted to be applicable to referees and to correspond to the objectives of the study. Results: In the sports games covered by our study, the main reason for match fixing is financial gain. Over two-thirds of the questioned referees consider that easy money is a deciding factor in their choices. Another factor is internal pressure. This refers to pressure exerted by colleagues, officials, or people within the club. Conclusions: In sport, combating corruption involves adopting permanent prevention and control measures, regardless of the level at which it occurs. The education of referees plays a fundamental role in strengthening the integrity of matches, giving them the opportunity to better understand what match-fixing means and the consequences it entails.
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