Director-General/Executive Director
(delivered on behalf of the Executive Director)
Your Excellency Mr. Dennis Francis,
President of the General Assembly,
Distinguished speakers,
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I welcome this high-level debate discussing the important contribution of sports to preventing crime and promoting sustainable development.
Today more than ever, we need every tool at our disposal to break cycles of crime and help governments achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Our world is facing turbulent times, with violence on the rise and the rule of law under threat.
Instability and vulnerability are fuelling crime, and in some countries, homicide rates are multiplying.
Young people are particularly at risk.
UNODC data for 68 countries showed that in recent years, more than 40 per cent of homicide suspects were young men between the ages of 15 and 29, while criminal groups often target youth for recruitment or exploitation.
Crime grows in the cracks of society’s foundations, feeding on the absence of opportunities and values.
And that is where sport comes in.
We know from experience that law enforcement and security responses are only part of the answer to escalating crime problems.
We know that prevention is essential, especially to reduce crime and drug use among youth.
And we know that sports can be an extremely powerful tool for prevention.
Through sports, we can provide young people with avenues to believe and to achieve.
As youth become increasingly frustrated by inequality, sports provide the model for a level playing field, one where anyone of any background can succeed if they aspire and work hard.
Sports also foster values like teamwork, tolerance, and empathy, while creating a sense of belonging and respect for the rules.
And as a huge global industry, sports generate a great number of opportunities and jobs for youth, from trade to marketing to infrastructure, and from giant sporting events to grassroots level.
By leveraging the power of sports, we can build the resilience of young people to crime and prevent their recruitment and victimization by organized criminal groups and terrorist groups.
And we can help offenders find their way back into society and prevent recidivism, while improving trust within communities.
Mr. President,
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime works with governments and partners around the world to leverage sports in preventing crime, violence, and substance use.
Our experience shows that sport-based programmes should be part of holistic, evidence-based prevention strategies.
Last year, UNODC engaged with policymakers in Central Asia, the Middle East and North Africa, as well as Latin America, to incorporate sports into national crime prevention strategies and policies, and we will continue to do so.
We also worked closely with 27 countries on capacity-building, engaging with sport trainers, coaches, and social workers on life skills training through sports.
Only last year, more than 24,000 young people in 14 countries benefitted from training, including more than 11,000 girls.
We are committed to working with all partners to scale up efforts to incorporate sports into crime prevention.
Excellencies,
Integrating sports in crime prevention yields great results, but it also faces great challenges.
One such challenge is ensuring sustainable funding for long-term sports programmes, especially in underprivileged communities.
If we want to see more impact, we must see more investment, even in these times of tight budgets.
Another challenge is the need for more data to target interventions and ensure impact.
And perhaps the most crucial challenge we face in harnessing the power of sports for good is the need to protect sports from corruption.
Some estimates place the value of the global sports market at more than 480 billion dollars, making it a target for corrupt actors.
Corruption can infiltrate sport directly, through acts like illegal betting and manipulation of competitions.
It can also subvert the structures surrounding sport, including through bribery, illicit enrichment, and money laundering connected to sports competitions and organizations.
Increasingly, organized crime groups are exploiting sport for illicit gain, as well as to launder criminal proceeds, and new technologies have created new pathways for cheating and illegal betting.
But we are also seeing a growing awareness of the scale of corruption and related crime in sport.
Since 2018, UNODC has been working with criminal justice authorities and sports organizations in 130 countries to help prevent, detect, investigate, and sanction corruption in sport.
We have also developed key tools, including a global report on corruption in sport, as well as practical guidance on legislation and investigation, and we are developing a study focusing on the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
We must continue to work together to strengthen legal and policy frameworks, enhance monitoring and enforcement, protect whistle-blowers, and provide continuous education and training, so that sports can be free from corruption.
We must also ensure that sports continue to offer an inclusive space for all, including women and girls, who have the right to enjoy and benefit from sports in a safe and welcoming environment, without fear of harassment, intimidation, or violence.
And last but not least, we must build and strengthen partnerships between all relevant stakeholders, including governments, international organizations, athletes, civil society and the private sector, to protect sport from corruption as well as to harness its power for crime prevention.
UNODC’s partnerships with the International Olympic Committee and FIFA are strong examples of how we can benefit from comparative strengths and experiences, and we will continue to strive for strong partnerships.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sports are a force for sustainable development and the rule of law; for peace and understanding; for justice and crime prevention.
They are also a way for young people to find hope and purpose.
Next month, Paris will host the 2024 Summer Olympics, which will serve as a reminder of the power of sports and an opportunity to emphasize its potential for good.
As the membership of this United Nations prepares to adopt the Pact for the Future in September, to generate new momentum for multilateralism and the SDGs, now is the time to leverage the full potential of sports.
Future generations are counting on us, and we must play to win.
Thank you.