The new agreement, confirmed at the fourth edition of the International Forum for Sports Integrity taking place at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, was signed by IOC President Thomas Bach and Ghada Waly, UNODC’s executive director.

"This is a very important signing this morning, a further development of our ongoing partnership." Waly said.

"Sport’s recovery after the COVID-19 pandemic has to happen with integrity.

"We had all been taking sport for granted, but after this pandemic we realise the true value of games and watching games.

"The nature of criminal activity in sport has changed.

"We see a lot of drug trafficking on the dark net, and exploitation of women and children.

"Many different criminal activities are now taking part in a virtual manner.

"And the pandemic has created more crimes – cyber-crime is on the rise.

"We will continue to educate people by fighting and addressing criminal and corrupt activities within sport, showing how they take place and how to investigate them and change legislation to deal with them.

"Twenty twenty one is a landmark year for global anti-corruption action, and international mobilisation to protect the integrity of sport is stronger than ever."

Waly added: "Under the new agreement, UNODC and the IOC will build on this momentum to help countries safeguard sport, but also leverage its power to strengthen youth resilience against crime, and shape more inclusive and just societies.

"We will cooperate in a number of different areas, specifically on capacity-building, training programmes and awareness-raising events that aim to tackle corruption and crime in sport.

"In addition, we collaborate in the prevention of the manipulation of sports competitions.

"Through the extended cooperation, we will also use sport as a tool to prevent youth crime, violence and drug use.

"When young people are involved in sports activities they belong to something, believe in it, put their energy into it.

"So there is definitely a preventative element in there and we would like to work with the IOC on this element.

"How can we use sports to protect youth from criminal activities, doing drugs or even radicalisation?

"Because when you are part of something like a sport or team the enthusiasm really fills your life, and this can have a really positive impact on youth."

The new MoU is set to remain in force until the end of 2025.

The latest Forum has involved more than 500 stakeholders representing the Olympic Movement, InterGovernmental agencies, Governments, the betting industry and other sectors.

All four intergovernmental organisations specialised in anti-corruption have been participating with high-level representatives: the UNODC, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and Interpol.