The Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) today made its final preparations ahead of the SIGA Special Session, which will be hosted at the United Nations, in Geneva, and aims to address the action needed to enhance sport governance and integrity.
The Special Session will take place tomorrow, 28 November, between 09:00-11:00, and will be hosted by HE Ambassador Maurizio Enrico Serra, Permanent Representative and Ambassador of Italy to the International Organisations in Geneva. The Palais de Nations, home to the UN in Geneva, will provide the perfect setting for SIGA’s global membership to discuss issues that affect countries all around the world and the concrete action that must be taken as a matter of priority to safeguard the integrity of sport.
The Special Session will address the positive role that sport can play in modern society and the action that needs to be taken to enhance its governance and strengthen its integrity. Protecting the integrity of sport has become more important than ever in recent years as it continues to come under increasing threat from inside and outside influence. A wide range of diplomatic representations, industry-leading experts and other key stakeholders from across SIGA’s diverse global membership and around the world have already confirmed their attendance at the Special Session.
Speaking ahead of the Special Session, SIGA Chairman Franco Frattini said:
“It is with great excitement that we prepare to stage the SIGA Special Session at the United Nations. I would like to sincerely thank the UN and our host HE Ambassador Maurizio Enrico Serra for giving us this opportunity. The UN is a global organisation that brings together countries around the world to confront common challenges and find solutions to them, and so it is fitting that SIGA is meeting there because that is exactly what we are aiming to do. We have said it many times before but the integrity of sport is under greater threat than ever before. It is vital therefore that we draw on all the experience and expertise we have available in order to determine what action needs to be taken to overcome our common challenges. Only by working collectively can we achieve our mission of ushering sport into a new era of full legality, integrity and loyalty to the values of the Olympic Charter.”
SIGA Coordinator Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros added:
“SIGA has made a remarkable progress. The benefits of bringing together experts and officials from sport, government, international organisations and civil society, from every corner of the world, to harness their collective experience and expertise, are indisputable. We have taken positive and proactive action that will benefit the long-term future of sport. There is so much more work to be done, and we are committed to doing it. The Special Session at the United Nations is another fantastic opportunity to gather our members and senior diplomats from the international community and discuss the next steps we must take as a true united front.”