One thing AI can’t replicate? Integrity in sport

In the world of sport, under the bright lights of elite competition, things are sometimes not quite as they seem.

Often there is beauty in those moments of calculated misdirection, like a Lionel Messi feint, or a no-look pass from Nikola Jokic. But there is also a darker side of sporting deception.

Without integrity, sport quickly loses all meaning. That idea is at the heart of a new campaign by the Sport Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA), who made the point with a series of videos posted on social media. At first glance the footage seems to depict familiar sporting scenes, but your eyes may be deceiving you.

The videos are in fact the work of artificial intelligence (AI) and they were created to illustrate one simple truth: while technology can simulate reality, integrity requires conscious human choice, responsibility and action.

In an uncertain world, SIGA has announced the new ‘TAKE ACTION’ campaign to unite sport’s global community in pursuit of a common goal. The AI-generated videos serve to show the difference between integrity and illusion in sport.

Nuno Perestrelo, Senior Director of Communications, Media and Events at SIGA, explains: “We live in an era where technology can replicate almost anything - except integrity. Integrity doesn’t happen by chance, and it cannot be automated or outsourced. It requires conscious choice, personal responsibility and sustained collective action.”

The battle for sports integrity

At its best, sport provides something pure and honest in an often unfair world. But throughout the long history of organized sport there have been moments where integrity and responsibility give way to corruption and cheating.

Legendary cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his record seven Tour de France titles after admitting to a prolonged campaign of doping. The world of soccer was rocked by the FIFA corruption scandal, with U.S. prosecutors alleging that bribes were paid to grant World Cup hosting rights to Qatar. The 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City were tarnished by bribery allegations at the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

In all of those cases, outward claims of integrity and responsibility were not backed up with real-world actions. Bold words were exposed as empty promises.

As part of a commitment to integrity in sport, SIGA is calling on governing bodies and sporting institutions to unite behind a shared mission: “Make Sport Integrity a common priority and universal reality.”

How to take action on sport integrity

SIGA brings together sports organizations, governments, international organizations and businesses to tackle some of the biggest issues facing sport, from match-fixing to racism.

As part of the new TAKE ACTION campaign, SIGA has outlined a three-part plan to ensure that integrity is placed front-and-center of sports governance.

1- Join SIGA as members and publicly commit to the principles of Sport Integrity.

2- Adopt and promote the SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity across their operations and ecosystems.

3- Transform commitment into measurable action by adopting the SIGA Universal Standards on Sport Integrity and embracing the SIGA Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS) - a voluntary, transparent evaluation aligned with global benchmarks in good governance, transparency, accountability, and ethical leadership.

For more information on SIGA, including its vision, mission and reform agenda, head over to the SIGA Sport website.

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