09 December 2025 – On International Anti-Corruption Day, celebrated worldwide on 9 December, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the establishment of the Joint Integrity Unit (JIU), a collaborative mechanism designed to prevent and address potential misconduct during the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games.
Key Facts
- A Joint Integrity Unit (JIU) will operate from 30 January to 24 February 2026 to prevent and address integrity breaches during Milano Cortina 2026.
- It will ensure close collaboration between the IOC, the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee and the Italian authorities.
- The initiative builds on a proven multi-stakeholder model first implemented at London 2012.
Created jointly with the Milano Cortina 2026 Organising Committee , the JIU will be fully operational from the opening until the closing of the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic Villages (30 January – 24 February 2026). It is designed to ensure rapid and effective information sharing between sports disciplinary bodies and law-enforcement agencies – a system successfully implemented at every edition of the Games since London 2012.
The Olympic Games stand as a global example of integrity, a celebration where excellence, respect and fair play leave no room for corruption or misconduct. Thanks to close collaboration with our partners, we will be able to detect and handle potential cases more efficiently.
Giuseppe Deleonardis – IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer
“Integrity breaches can take many forms, from competition manipulation to bribery or unethical behaviour by accredited individuals,” Deleonardis explained. “Should criminal elements be involved, we will work with the Italian authorities, police and justice system, to share any relevant information”.
Intelligence and education to prevent competition manipulation
A key focus of the JIU will be the prevention of match-fixing. The Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (OM Unit PMC) has a large international network in place, via its Integrity Betting Intelligence System, to swiftly detect suspicious activity, as well as close cooperation with Italy’s betting regulatory authority (ADM) and the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). This allows a timely exchange of information on irregular betting patterns or betting by accredited participants.
These measures build on the positive experience of Paris 2024, including scenario-based preparation to clearly establish roles and responsibilities among the stakeholders.
Building upon the experience of many past editions of the Games, and most recently on the strong cooperation with the French stakeholders during Paris 2024, we are fully confident in our ability to monitor the Games effectively, communicate swiftly with partners, and identify potential breaches. I would like to thank in advance our robust network of partners for their support in this effort.
Friedrich Martens – Head of the OM Unit PMC
Since London 2012, the IOC has monitored betting across all Olympic events using advanced analytical tools and human expertise. For Milano Cortina 2026, the OM Unit PMC will again lead this intelligence effort, supported by established partners such as the IBIA, ULIS, key betting regulators including the ADM, the Council of Europe’s Group of Copenhagen, and major intergovernmental bodies such as UNODC, INTERPOL and EUROPOL.
Betting operators and the IOC’s network of Single Points of Contact at International Sports Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs) will also contribute to preventing competition manipulation. Comprehensive risk assessments for all sports on the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic programme have already been shared with the IFs and selected NOCs.
The creation of the JIU complements a range of other measures in place to protect the integrity of the Games, including athlete education. As part of the IOC’s Believe in Sport Campaign, 10 athlete ambassadors will raise awareness among athletes, their entourage members and officials about the risks of competition manipulation and the importance of safeguarding fair play.
