Javier Tebas: "Fair play and good practice are a priority for LaLiga"

This morning saw the unveiling of the Good Practice Guide, drawn up by LaLiga's Integrity Department, at the headquarters of the High Council for Sport (CSD). The event was attended by CSD president Miguel Cardenal, LaLiga president Javier Tebas, and Alfredo Lorenzo, LaLiga's director of integrity and security. This handbook is aimed at all sportspeople, irrespective of the sport they are involved in, and is geared towards safeguarding fair play and the values associated therewith.

"The guide contains advice related to betting, third-party bonuses, the manipulation of results, good practice, media relations and, of course, the fight against discrimination," explained Alfredo Lorenzo, LaLiga's director of integrity and security. Lorenzo also remarked on the importance of sporting institutions informing and educating sportspeople in this regard.

LaLiga president Javier Tebas highlighted that one of the organisation's main goals is to "foster fair play and good practice," both of which "are a priority for LaLiga." "That's why we have an Integrity Department exclusively dedicated to these issues. We will keep working in this vein, seeking to ensure fair play and fighting against match-fixing," he went on. Tebas added that the points laid down in the Good Practice Guide – which reaffirms LaLiga's commitment to the provisions of the Code of Sports Ethics and the Spanish Sports Act, and is the latest example of the organisation's ongoing initiatives to protect the integrity of sport – "should also be taken into account by staff at sporting institutions."

Miguel Cardenal brought the launch event to a close and emphasised the importance of identifying potential dangers that could undermine sport's integrity. "Sport nowadays is faced with a different reality that has been shaped by economic factors. There are numerous threats to sport's integrity and this does not just apply to football. We must identify these threats and act accordingly," stated the CSD president. Cardenal rounded off by stressing that "both LaLiga and the respective sports federations, hand in hand with the High Council for Sport, will make every effort to disseminate the guide as widely as possible."

The Good Practice Guide can be downloaded here [only available in Spanish]. A hard copy will also be sent out to all Spanish sports federations.