Transparency International (TI) is the foremost global organization in the fight against corruption in all fields. Its stated mission is to ‘create change towards a world free of corruption’. ‘It raises awareness and diminishes apathy and tolerance of corruption, and devises and implements practical actions to address it’. For more information about TI: http://www.transparency.org/

TI does not normally undertake investigations of alleged corruption or expose individual cases. Instead, it will generally bring individual matters to the attention of the relevant authorities or the general public, so that appropriate action can be taken by those who carry the responsibility. Yesterday, TI in Germany issued a Press Bulletin http://www.transparency.de/2010-01-29-Beratervertraege-Sp.1567.0.html apropos the matters revealed in the recent article in the German magazine ‘Der Spiegel’ http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.930 and discussed in Thursday’s posting here in THN, http://teamhandballnews.com/news.php?item.933 regarding the IHF president Moustafa and the sports marketing agencies Sportfive and UFA Sports.

In its Press Bulletin, TI Germany demands regulation of personal business contracts for sports officials as they relate to their functions as elected decision-makers in sports. TI notes that such contracts inevitable raise suspicions and conflicts, and urges that sports officials refrain from such involvement. If nevertheless such contracts exist, then there must be clear rules and absolute transparency. As a minimum, such contracts must be presented for approval within the official’s own organization. Contracts with entities which compete for arrangements such as TV rights and sponsorship must be prohibited.

It is indeed noteworthy that TI has found it necessary to go public about these issues of fundamental principle apropos the dealings of Moustafa with Sportfive and UFA Sports.