U-20 players to undergo Cosafa integrity training

Malawi Under-20 national football team players will undergo an integrity training on the sidelines of the Cosafa Under-20 Youth Championship in Lusaka, Zambia.

The workshop, organised by Council for Southern Africa Football Associations (Cosafa), will be conducted by Genius Sports, a firm specialised in the field.

Cosafa yesterday announced that all players participating in the tournament will have to attend the training workshop.

“Cosafa aims to leave a legacy wherever it hosts its tournaments, and next month players and officials will receive tools and guidance on how to avoid falling victim to the many ills that damage the game today.

“Genius Sports is a trusted integrity partner to over 100 sports leagues and federations worldwide, including the English Premier League and the German Football Association.

“They will conduct four sessions during the Under-20 Championship, starting with a workshop for match officials on December 3, the day before the competition gets underway.

“The players from all 12 competing teams will then be taken through the workshop in separate sessions on December 5 and 6,” Cosafa said in a statement yesterday.

Genius Sports integrity operations director Ben Paterson said the players have a big role to play in combating ills such as match-manipulation.

“We’re delighted to be working alongside Cosafa on this crucial initiative at the Under-20 Championship, empowering the next generation of players to take a stand against betting-related corruption and protect the future of the sport,” he said.

Cosafa general secretary Sue Destombes said they expect the knowledge gained from the integrity workshop to be passed on to domestic leagues back at home. She said: “We believe the match officials and players will benefit greatly from these workshops and urge all our associations to do everything they can to feed these messages through to their domestic game.”