Oct 20, 2025
A landmark year in the relationship between EPIC Global Solutions and the European Athletes & Players Association (EAPA) has taken a further step towards making gambling harm prevention and awareness more widely available to the continent’s elite player associations, with the launch of a multi-lingual eLearning module.
Throughout 2025, EPIC, EAPA and their member athlete associations from professional sports across Europe have been cooperating on the implementation of ‘PROtect Integrity Responsibly’ Erasmus+ project. The PROtect Integrity campaign is aimed at educating athletes about match fixing and betting integrity, with its current chapter focusing specifically on gambling harm prevention.
Research and face-to-face training – including a ‘Train the Trainer’ day in Madrid during the summer, enabling associations to better support their members with gambling issues – have now led to the launch of online materials that can be accessed on demand in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Danish. These provide six eLearning modules to help Europe-based athletes in selected sports to better understand gambling harm awareness, athlete vulnerability, the gambling spectrum, mental health & performance, spotting the signs, and sporting integrity & problematic gambling.
The content of the eLearning modules was based on the outcome of research with EAPA members conducted by EPIC’s senior research manager Anca-Maria Gherghel, with the findings of her report directing the nature of the education on gambling harm prevention required for professional athletes and players within the EAPA ecosystem.
The project consortium that has brought the concept to life is composed of ten members, with EAPA as the coordinator, EPIC Global Solutions providing subject matter expertise and the following eight player associations representing five major team sports in five different European countries: AJSF (men’s futsal, Spain), AJFSF (women’s futsal, Spain), RPI (rugby, Ireland), HSF (handball, Denmark), GIBA (basketball, Italy), AIP (volleyball, Italy), SNB (basketball, France), AJPH (handball, France).
EPIC has also helped each of the above associations to better serve their members by providing them with assets that help individuals to recognise signs of problem gambling, including infographics on what to look out for, and access to EPIC’s ‘gambling spectrum’ concept, which helps to identify the stage you are at in your relationship with various forms of betting.
“The eLearning module developed as part of the PROtect Integrity Responsibly project is an extremely valuable tool for players, complementing in-person education,” explained Sergio Alonso, general secretary, Asociación de Jugadores de Fútbol Sala (AJFS; Spanish futsal). “It’s free, easily accessible, and helps raise awareness about gambling-related harm by identifying existing issues and preventing future ones.
“The gambling spectrum developed by EPIC clearly shows the different stages at which an athlete may find themselves when it comes to betting and gaming.
“Having a clear infographics poster to show during visits – with visual data, questions and answers that are easy to relate to – makes players much more aware of how serious the issue is, not only for themselves but also for their teammates.”
His thoughts were echoed by Julie Campassens, director of Basketball Players Union (BPU; French basketball), who explained how the various player associations across Europe are now better equipped to deal with the potential challenges that gambling-related harm can pose. She added:
“Players’ associations have a central role in informing and educating their members about the risks and consequences of gambling. They must also know how to recognise when someone is in difficulty and offer support in whatever form is needed.
“When a player is injured, they lose the thrill of the game. Betting on their own sport – or on something they believe they understand – can become a substitute for those emotions. And if they start winning, that emotional reward gets reinforced, which can easily lead to serious problems later on.
“Thanks to the Train the Trainer workshop, we’re better prepared to talk about gambling harm during the team visits, identify early signs of potential issues, and support those at risk.”
For further information regarding the origins of the PROtect Integrity project, visit the EAPA website here.
Apr 11, 2025
Every year the 15th of April marks #EUSportIntegrityDay. First launched by the European Athletes and Players Association (formerly EU Athletes) in 2014, EU Sport Integrity Day gives key stakeholders in sport across Europe the opportunity to speak out against match-fixing and reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the integrity of sport. Over the years the campaign has grown with strong support from player associations, sport federations, public bodies and organisations.
The consequences of match-fixing for athletes can be devastating, affecting their reputations and potentially jeopardising their careers. Athlete and player associations remain actively engaged in educating athletes on combating competition manipulation, empowering them to identify fixers and report any suspicious activities.
In early 2025, we proudly announced our involvement in PROtect Integrity Responsibly, a new EU-funded Erasmus+ project. PROtect Integrity Responsibly is a continuation of over a decade of successful work from the Association in its fight against match-fixing and corruption in sport by focusing on promoting integrity in sport through the education of athletes about responsible gambling practices and their role in preventing competition manipulation.
In collaboration with player associations across Europe, EAPA aims to reach over 5,500 elite athletes and professionals. The project will combine both online and face-to-face education on responsible gambling and competition integrity.
Together with our partners, we are ensuring that the fight for clean, fair, and responsible sport continues to gain momentum.
Join us in safeguarding our sports and take a stand against match-fixing every year on #EUSportIntegrityDay.
Feb 11, 2025
The European Athletes and Players Association (EAPA) is proud to announce the successful conclusion of PROtect Integrity Online – an Erasmus+ project co-funded by the European Union. The two-year initiative has been dedicated to promoting integrity and combating match-fixing in sport. Through extensive research, development, and implementation, the PROtect Integrity Online has provided thousands of professional athletes across Europe with integrity education using online tools and methods.
Over the past 15 years, EAPA and its project partners have been at the forefront of tackling match-fixing through education. Athlete and player associations play a crucial role in safeguarding the integrity of sport, leveraging their close relationships with athletes to deliver impactful learning experiences. The PROtect Integrity Online project has reinforced this commitment by equipping players with the knowledge to anticipate and resist corruption and manipulation.
Key Achievements of PROtect Integrity Online:
- Extensive Education Outreach: Eight player associations delivered in-person integrity education to 7,533 athletes across 591 team visits.
- Innovative Learning Materials: Development of engaging educational resources, including a revised Code of Conduct, animated videos, and interactive tools to enhance learning.
- Research and Recommendations: Comprehensive reports mapping the landscape of match-fixing education and providing strategic recommendations for future efforts.
As a direct follow-up to this success, EAPA has now launched PROtect Integrity Responsibly, a new initiative building on the best practices and lessons learned. This next phase aims to further refine integrity education strategies, ensuring that athletes continue to receive the highest quality support in recognizing and resisting match-fixing threats.
Why Match-Fixing Education Matters Match-fixing remains a significant challenge in professional sports, with athletes often being the primary targets of manipulation. Without proper education, players may find themselves vulnerable to criminal influence, risking their careers and the credibility of their sport. The PROtect Integrity Online project has demonstrated that systematic, engaging, and well-structured education is key to empowering athletes and protecting the game.
Next Steps and Resources The legacy of PROtect Integrity Online continues through the freely available educational materials developed during the project, including:
With the launch of PROtect Integrity Responsibly in January 2025, EAPA and its partners reaffirm their commitment to strengthening sport integrity across Europe. By learning from past successes and continuously evolving educational approaches, the fight against match-fixing remains at the heart of our mission.
For further information on our initiatives and access to educational resources, please visit: www.protect-integrity.com
Our thanks to our project partners:
AJSF (men’s futsal, Spain), AJFSF (women’s futsal, Spain), RPI (rugby union, Ireland), HSF (handball, Denmark), GIBA (basketball, Italy), AIP (volleyball, Italy), SNB (basketball, France), AJPH (handball, France), University of Rennes 2 (research institution)
This project has been co-funded by the European Union. The content reflects only the authors’ views, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
Sep 4, 2024
It is with great excitement that EAPA announces that it is a coordinator in the new EU-funded project under the ERASMUS+ program: PROtect Integrity Responsibly (PIR) scheduled for 2025.
The PROtect Integrity Responsibly focuses on promoting integrity and values in sport, by educating athletes on responsible gambling practices and, therefore, competition manipulation in sport.
The project consists of the following project partners: EAPA as the coordinator, EPIC Global Solutions, a global leading and award-winning gambling harm prevention harm consultancy and the following eight player associations:
AIP – Italian Volleyball Players Association
AJFS – Spanish Futsal Players Association
AJFSF – Spanish Women’s Futsal Players Association
AJPH – French Handball Players Union
GIBA – Italian Basketball Players Association
HSF – Danish Handball Players Association
RPI – Rugby Players Ireland
SNB – French Basketball Players Union
PROtect Integrity Responsibly is divided in the following stages. The first part consists of research on education on gambling harm prevention as well as research into evaluation of the education implemented in the project. Based on the research, a Report on developing education on gambling harm prevention and Evaluation shall be made.
Following the Report, educational materials shall be made for players. This shall include an online learning module and educational infographic on responsible gambling. The new educational materials shall be uploaded on www.protect-integrity.com.
Next, a “Train the Observer” workshop shall be organised for player association staff. The player associations will then provide at least 5,500 professionals and elite level athletes with blended face-to-face and online education about responsible gambling.
PROtect Integrity Responsibly is a continuation of over a decade of successful work from the Association in its fight against match-fixing and corruption in sport. This project will make sure to expand on previous project outcomes as well as cooperate with other Erasmus+ projects and national and international stakeholders working in similar domains.
For further information about the project, please contact: info@euathletes.org
Apr 18, 2024
Each year the 15th of April marks the #EUSportIntegrityDay, providing an opportunity to speak out against match fixing and reaffirm commitment to safeguarding the integrity of sport. Initiated by EU Athletes in 2014, the campaign has steadily expanded over the last 10 years and received support from various stakeholders, including player associations, sport federations, public bodies, as well as organisations such as UNODC, European Lotteries or IBIA.
For athletes, the consequences of match fixing can be profound, impacting their reputations and potentially jeopardising their careers. Athlete and player associations continue to be actively engaged in educating athletes about combating competition manipulation, empowering them to identify fixers and promptly report any suspicious activity.
Together with 8 player associations in Europe, EU Athletes is implementing an Erasmus+ project PROtect Integrity Online co-funded by the European Union. Since the beginning of the project in February 2023, more than 2800 players have received education on fighting against match fixing and corruption in sport. By the end of the project, the match fixing education will be delivered by player associations to at least 5,800 athletes in Europe through the blended face-to-face and online approach.
Join us in safeguarding our sports and make your stand against match fixing on #EUSportIntegrityDay every year.
Feb 14, 2024
The staff and partners of the PROtect Integrity Online Erasmus+ project met at the Rugby Players Ireland office in Dublin on the 13th of February 2024. The purpose of the catch-up meeting was to review and discuss the implementation of the project so far, particularly when it comes to the integrity education supported by the online educational materials, which is currently implemented by the player associations. The upcoming activities, such as the EU Sport Integrity Day, Final Conference and Practical Guide, were also discussed.
