The International Olympic Committee will hold a special summit in Switzerland tonight to address the issue of illegal betting and match fixing in sports.
IOC president Jacques Rogge has called together sports leaders, politicians, licensed betting operators and international police agency Interpol for a special meeting after warning of the danger posed by organized crime.
Rogge says they need a broad collaboration with governments, adding illegal betting linked to match fixing and money laundering is a threat comparable to doping.
Rogge's initiative comes days after the World Anti-Doping Agency called for the establishment of a global "sports integrity body" to centralize and strengthen anti-corruption efforts.
Sports including football and cricket have been rocked by ongoing criminal investigations into alleged manipulation of matches for betting coups.
Illegal and corrupt betting is believed to be worth tens of billions of dollars annually in wagers placed mainly in eastern Europe and across Asia.
