News and commentary about white-collar crime, enforcement, and compliance
Harry Cassin
Publisher and Editor
Andy Spalding
Senior Editor
Jessica Tillipman
Senior Editor
Bill Steinman
Senior Editor
Richard L. Cassin
Editor at Large
Elizabeth K. Spahn
Editor Emeritus
Cody Worthington
Contributing Editor
Julie DiMauro
Contributing Editor
Thomas Fox
Contributing Editor
Marc Alain Bohn
Contributing Editor
Bill Waite
Contributing Editor
Russell A. Stamets
Contributing Editor
Richard Bistrong
Contributing Editor
Eric Carlson
Contributing Editor
As the OECD Working Group on Bribery convenes its first 2023 meeting in Paris this week, we’d like to suggest an additional point on its important agenda: applying the OECD anti-bribery convention to major sporting organizations such as FIFA and the International Olympic Committee.… Continue Reading
The Olympic figure skating scandal brought us back to basics. Do a risk assessment. Identify red flags. Conduct timely due diligence. Ensure adequate remediation.… Continue Reading
My previous post argued that megasports are beginning to leave legacies of improved anti-corruption and human rights standards. Wait, come again? How could that be?… Continue Reading
For the global compliance community, the Olympic Games – and all of megasports – are both a teaching tool and a window.… Continue Reading
An Olympic host city’s anti-corruption and human rights measures should obviously reduce risk. But can they do more? Can they leave a legacy of new norms, or policies, or even laws in the host country?… Continue Reading
The Olympic Games are associated with chronic corruption and human rights problems, and not without reason. But what if the Games, at the same time, could leave an imprint in the host city and country of anti-corruption and human rights reforms?… Continue Reading
The City of Calgary voted resoundingly in Tuesday’s plebiscite to withdraw its bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics. While Olympic corruption did not quite deal the bid’s death blow, it was certainly a co-conspirator.… Continue Reading
The 2026 FIFA World Cup vote already reflects the significant steps FIFA has taken to reduce corruption. Will it now follow the International Olympic Committee example and take the next step?… Continue Reading
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics present an historic opportunity for the Olympic Movement, the French compliance industry, and the global anti-corruption effort. In a brief two-year span — 2016 to 2017 — three extraordinary events converged:
• The International Olympic Committee formalized a new policy of contractually obligating host cities and their Olympic organizations to adopt anti-corruption and human rights compliance;
• At the same time, France was enacting its landmark anti-corruption compliance law, Sapin II, and a corporate human rights obligation, the Duty of Vigilance Law, heralding a new era for France’s compliance industry; and
• The IOC selected Paris to host the 2024 Games, inviting France to set the standard for Olympic corruption and human rights compliance.… Continue Reading
After two hours of driving through undeveloped Korean countryside, the image upon arriving at the Olympic skiing venues is quite startling: the surrounding ridges are dotted with technologically advanced, energy-generating windmills.… Continue Reading
Yesterday’s announcement that the 2028 Summer Olympics have been awarded to Los Angeles has an underappreciated significance for the anti-corruption movement. It is the first Olympic Games in which the host city will be under a contractual obligation to prevent corruption.… Continue Reading
Companies that make and sell consumer products — toothpaste, smart phones, cars, movies, food, medicines, golf clubs, cosmetics, whiskey, shoes, jewelry, and so on — spend billions of dollars promoting their goods.… Continue Reading