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Peru is taking a firm stance against match manipulation in sports, particularly when linked with betting, as it pushes through Congress new legislation. The Justice Commission of the Peruvian Congress approved a bill that penalizes fraud and manipulation of official sports competitions. The proposal was voted through overwhelmingly, with 19 in favor, zero against, and two abstentions. The bill will be sent to the full Parliament to be debated and potentially approved.
The bill inserts Article 197-A into the Penal Code, criminalizing conduct where an individual directly or indirectly promises, offers, or gives an undue advantage to another individual, a third party, or an organization to improperly influence the result of a sporting event or competition.
Penalties and Aggravating Factors
The bill prescribes strict prison sentences for those committing such offenses. At its lowest, the crime will be punished with three to six years in prison.
However, harsher penalties of four to eight years of imprisonment are contemplated when the crime is committed by actors in a direct relationship with the sporting world. These include the athletes, referees, coaches, doctors, club or federation managers, sports agents, and others who have direct or indirect influence over the competition.
Additionally, when manipulation is connected to sports betting operators or when actors manipulate results for betting purposes, the same aggravated sanctions will be applied.
The law clarifies that official competitions are those organized by federations recognized by the Peruvian Sports Institute (IPD), such as the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF).
Guaranteeing the Integrity of Sport
During the commission discussion, Congressman Segundo Quiroz, one of the main sponsors of the bill, explained that the bill aims to fight the manipulation of professional football matches. He warned that manipulation is a real threat to the integrity of sports and needs to be addressed with stronger legal tools.
Similarly, the president of the Justice Commission, Flavio Cruz, noted that the new criminal classification will usher in greater clarity within the judicial system to investigate and punish such activities. By establishing a special offense, the courts will be able to prosecute cases of match-fixing.
Past Legal Observations
This legislative effort comes after the Peruvian government previously rejected a draft of the legislation this year. In July, the administration of President Dina Boluarte observed and returned the initial bill on the basis that it was “anti-technical in criminal matters.”
The earlier law sought to make match fixing a cybercrime, which the government felt was a misclassification. According to the executive, such acts are closer to bribery crimes than to information technology crimes.
The rejected bill also included corrections to the application of the Selective Consumption Tax (ISC) on bets made through domestic and foreign iGaming websites. But the classification issue prevented it from moving forward then.
Toward Stronger Regulation
The proposed bill takes into account the experience of the past debate, offering an improved legal framework to fight corruption in sport. Through the introduction of a special provision in the Penal Code, Peru can deter manipulation schemes and ensure accountability at every step of professional competition.
If approved by the full Congress, this law will be a significant step forward in the fight against match-fixing, establishing the principle that the integrity of sport must be maintained regardless of the economic interests of betting.
Source: YogoNet
