Reinforcing Fair Play: AFBÖ Joins Forces with Play Fair Code

The American Football Bund Österreich (AFBÖ), the governing body for american football in Austria, has initiated a collaboration with Play Fair Code at the start of 2025. This partnership underscores AFBÖ’s commitment to maintaining integrity and preventing match manipulation within its leagues.

Thorough Training and Prevention Measures

As part of this collaboration, AFBÖ players and associated personnel will participate in Play Fair Code’s comprehensive training program. These sessions are designed to raise awareness about the dangers of game manipulation and betting fraud, ensuring that all stakeholders understand the importance of ethical conduct. The play Fair Code Integrity Management System will be progressively integrated into the association’s operations, providing a structured approach to safeguarding the sport’s integrity.

Learning from Past Scandals: A Proactive Approach

The partnership comes at a time when sports organizations worldwide are increasingly vigilant about maintaining fair play. High-profile incidents, such as the Deflategate scandal in the American National Football League (NFL), and various NFL betting ban violations resulting in suspensions, serve as stark reminders of the potential for corruption. By proactively partnering with Play Fair code,the AFBÖ aims to prevent similar issues from arising in Austrian football.

Statements from Leadership

AFBÖ President Michael Eschlböck emphasized the importance of fairness and respect in the sport, stating:

Football is not just the largest team sport (according to squad size), fairness and respect are the cornerstones of our sport. Thus, membership in the Play Fair Code is an critically important step as part of the further development of our sport.
Michael Eschlböck, AFBÖ President

Play Fair Code President Friedrich Stickler and Managing Director Severin Moritzer also expressed their enthusiasm for the new partnership:

With the AFBÖ we are already greeting the eleventh sports association and the ninth sport in Play Fair code and are very happy about this new partner. The fact that American football plays a role in the austrian betting market also makes this step logical. We are looking forward to our order and our commitment in this increasingly popular sport with great drive.
Friedrich Stickler, Play Fair Code President & Severin Moritzer, Managing Director

Looking Ahead: Implementation and Future Projects

The American Football Bund Austria’s membership with Play Fair Code officially commenced on January 1, 2025.Currently, collaborative training initiatives are being developed and are scheduled for implementation throughout the year. These projects will further solidify the commitment to integrity and fair play within Austrian American football.