Betting & integrity
Why Athletes Are Banned From Betting on Their Own Sport: What the Rules Say
Athletes are banned from betting on their own sport because a wager placed by someone who can influence a result, or who holds non-public information about it, creates a financial interest that undermines the idea that outcomes are decided on merit. The Olympic Movement, FIFA and World Athletics all write this prohibition into their rules, and the Council of Europe's Macolin Convention encourages sports bodies to adopt it.
What do the main codes prohibit?
The wording differs between bodies, but the core is the same: no betting on one's own sport. The table summarises three rule sets as they are published by the organisations themselves.
The prohibition is not limited to competitors. The IOC Code applies to participants, a term that covers athletes, athlete support personnel such as coaches, trainers, managers and medical staff, and officials including referees and jury members. FIFA's Code of Ethics binds officials, referees, players and match agents and intermediaries.
FIFA explains the rationale in its own words: football betting is a large global industry that funds the game, but it also threatens integrity because match outcomes can be manipulated for illegal betting profits.
| Body and document | What is prohibited | Stated consequence |
|---|---|---|
| IOC, Olympic Movement Code on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (Article 2.1) | Betting in relation to the participant's sport, or to any event of a multisport competition in which the participant is accredited | Sanctions range from a warning to a life ban (Article 5.1) |
| FIFA, Code of Ethics (Article 27) | Taking part, directly or indirectly, in betting or similar transactions linked to football matches or competitions | Fine of at least CHF 100,000 and a ban of up to three years from football-related activity |
| World Athletics, Manipulation of Sports Competitions Rules (Rule 3) | Any form of betting related to an event or competition in athletics, whether or not the person is directly participating | Handled by the Athletics Integrity Unit as a violation of Integrity Standard 3.3.4 |
Source: IOC, FIFA and Athletics Integrity Unit documents listed below
Why does the ban reach beyond a person's own match?
The rules are written to close indirect routes. FIFA's published examples of indirect involvement include a third party betting in their own name with an insider's money, a third party betting alongside an insider and sharing the winnings, and an insider passing non-public information to someone who then bets.
World Athletics applies its rule whether or not the person is competing in the event concerned, and extends it to other sports at international competitions organised by a major event organiser in which the person is taking part. The IOC Code similarly reaches every event of a multisport competition in which a participant is accredited.
How does inside information fit in?
The IOC Code defines inside information as information relating to a competition that a person possesses by virtue of their position, excluding information already published or common knowledge. Using it for betting, or disclosing it where the person knew or should have known it might be used for betting, is a separate violation under Article 2.3.
United World Wrestling's integrity guidance gives tactics and injuries as examples of what athletes and officials may know, and says such information must be kept private because it can be used for fraudulent betting. The Macolin Convention takes the same approach at treaty level: it encourages sports organisations to ban stakeholders from betting on their own competitions and to limit misuse of inside information.
The IOC Code also defines a benefit broadly. It includes the direct or indirect receipt of money or the equivalent, such as bribes, gifts and other advantages, and expressly counts winnings and potential winnings from a wager, while excluding official prize money, appearance fees and sponsorship payments.
How are the rules applied in practice?
In January 2026 the Athletics Integrity Unit sanctioned three athletes for betting on athletics events. Two received three-month suspended bans after wagering EUR 100 and EUR 40 at the 2025 World Championships, including on teammates. The third received a six-month ban and a EUR 3,000 fine after betting EUR 2,000 on a teammate at the 2024 European Championships and winning EUR 5,000.
All three admitted the violations, and the Unit recorded that they had received little or no education on the rules, which counted as a mitigating factor. The Unit's head described betting rules as one of the cornerstones of sports integrity, intended to ensure that results are determined solely on merit, and added that education cannot be overstated.
The Unit also ordered the three athletes to complete the IOC's online training on the prevention of competition manipulation. Under the IOC Code, the sanction in each case is set by the competent sports organisation within the permitted range, with the circumstances of the case taken into account in determining it.
