BELGIUM Law and Practice Contributed by: Sven Demeulemeester, Willem-Alexander Devlies and Daan Buylaert, ATFiELD
imposed the standard sanction under the UCI Anti-Doping Rules and the WADA Code for the presence of letrozole. In 2023, 1.9% of the 1,973 samples taken from controlled athletes in the Flemish Region involved effective doping. Among doping prac - tices in competitive sports, six of the 15 offenc - es retained in 2023 were related to recreational drugs (cannabis and cocaine). Among doping practices in fitness centres, the breaches were exclusively related to anabolic steroids. 1.2 Integrity Legislation Addressing Athlete Misconduct and Match-Fixing in Belgium Belgium has established a legal framework to combat athlete misconduct, fraud and match- fixing, primarily through the Belgian Penal Code and specific sports legislation. The Law of 10 May 2010 on the Fight against Fraud in Sports, criminalises match-fixing and related offences such as bribery and corruption in sports. Addi - tionally, the Belgian Gaming Act regulates sports betting to prevent gambling-related fraud and conflicts of interest. Measures Taken by Belgian Sports Governing Bodies Belgian sports federations implement various measures to uphold sports integrity and pre - vent misconduct. The Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA), for example, enforces strict ethical guidelines, conducts integrity training for players and officials, and works closely with law enforcement to detect suspicious activities. NADO Flanders also contributes by monitoring sports ethics, promoting awareness campaigns, and enforcing sanctions against violations. Addi - tionally, integrity officers are appointed within
sports organisations to ensure compliance with regulations and report any suspicious behaviour. The Belgian National Platform against Match- Fixing, established under the EU Council Rec - ommendation on match-fixing, facilitates co- ordination between authorities, sports bodies and betting regulators to detect and combat match-fixing more effectively. Recent Noteworthy Misconduct and Match- Fixing Cases in Belgium One of the most significant cases in Belgian sports history is “Operation Clean Hands” , an investigation launched in 2018 targeting match- fixing and financial fraud in Belgian football. The case involved top-tier clubs, referees and agents accused of manipulating matches for betting gains and of receiving illegal commissions. This scandal led to multiple arrests, suspensions and ongoing legal proceedings. 1.3 Betting Is Betting Illegal in Belgium? Betting is legal in Belgium but is strictly regu - lated. The Belgian Gaming Commission (BGC) oversees all betting activities to ensure com - pliance with national laws and prevent fraud, match-fixing and other integrity issues. Only licensed operators can legally offer betting ser - vices, and individuals must meet age and eligi - The primary legislation regulating betting in Bel - gium is the Gambling Act of 7 May 1999, which establishes rules for licensing, advertising and consumer protection. This law has been amend - ed multiple times to address emerging issues, such as online betting and stricter measures to prevent problem gambling. The Royal Decree of 21 June 2011 further regulates online gambling, bility requirements to participate. Legislation Governing Betting
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