Maba steps up sports integrity drive amid social media risks

KUALA LUMPUR: A friendly message from a so-called ‘fan’ to an athlete on social media can turn sinister, leading to leaked team information or, worse, match-fixing.

Malaysia Basketball Association (Maba) secretary-general Tan Kee Hian highlighted the risks during the national body’s latest sports integrity education workshop last night.

The workshop was held for officials and players competing in the ongoing 66th Maba Agong Cup National Championships at Hextar World, Empire City, in Petaling Jaya.

“We have seen some suspicious games. We know there’s such a trend in Malaysia too. We are being proactive by educating all the referees, officials and players,” Tan told Twentytwo13.

“All those involved must know the consequences if they get caught. Our job is to lead them in the right direction.”

Tan said Maba had conducted the workshops for the past two years in line with International Basketball Federation (Fiba) initiatives.

Held both in person and online, the sessions cover the risks of sharing information with third parties, protecting the integrity of the game and the consequences of betraying the sport.

“We will inform them what players can reveal, and what’s best to be left in the locker room. Our workshops are in line with Fiba’s aspiration to keep the sport safe and clean.”

Fiba has introduced frameworks, procedures, initiatives and a reporting facility to safeguard sports integrity. These include its Sport Integrity and Policies programme and a Single Point of Contact (SPOC) within national bodies.

“Maba also has a SPOC. Players and match officials are informed that they can report any form of harassment or if they are being courted by certain parties to carry out unsportsmanlike activities,” Tan said.

Maba will hold another workshop at the end of the month, ahead of the new Major Basketball League Malaysia season. The session will also focus on foreign players and coaches, ensuring all parties understand their responsibilities in upholding sports integrity, Tan said.

Image: Maba