NEWS: How to stop large-scale corruption in major sporting infrastructure projects?

The Engineers Against Poverty report titled Changing the Game: A critical analysis of large-scale corruption in mega sport event infrastructure projects, concludes that major sporting events such as the Olympics or Fifa World Cup represent a “perfect storm for corruption”.
What could be done to prevent large-scale corruption on major sporting events infrastructure projects?

Poor planning and a lack of transparency coupled with collusion between politicians and contractors has marred several large sporting projects over the last 20 years, according to Engineers Against Poverty.

Recommendations to avoid corruption in future events include the formation of an independent whistleblowing unit, the introduction of transparency tools and reforms construction tendering process reforms (see full list of recommendations below).

The report points to enormous cost overruns in relation to projects at the World Cups in South Africa and Brazil as well as examples of bribery to obtain contracts at the Sochi Winter Olympics and New Delhi Commonwealth Games.

The report cites “high levels of collusion” between contractors and host nations. It states that “between 2002 and 2012, four of the construction firms responsible for most of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Rio Games infrastructure donated almost BRL500M to political parties managing the events’ funds”.

The report adds: “Corruption in the delivery of infrastructure for mega sport events (MSEs) seems to have become a common curse.

“High costs, low levels of monitoring and complex logistics create the perfect storm for corruption, repeating a history of malpractice that leaves poor, unsuitable and inflated infrastructure as a legacy.”

Engineers Against Poverty recommends a series of “tools for transparency and collaboration […] to change the game”.

It recommends an open data system to “help citizens and civil society to identify red flags in the implementation of projects, unlocking the black box of how public money is spent”.

An open data system has in fact been implemented on the 2024 Paris Olympics project. The International Olympic Committee leads the strategy, and according to the new bid provisions it will be a necessity in all bids for Games from 2024 onwards.

The report also recommends the creation of “channels to report wrongdoing” to “foster new routes to transparency and reduce the opportunities for corruption”.

The report concludes: “Despite recent initiatives to improve monitoring and oversight of [mega sports events], evidence shows that corruption is a common issue across these events, costing taxpayers significant sums of money and compromising the quality and use of the infrastructure that is left in the host countries.”

Also read: What tools can we use to foster transparency and openness across the infrastructure cycle?

“Our recommendations are a starting point to break the detrimental pattern of behaviour that seems to have become as cyclical as MSEs.

“Our suggested approach offers a combination of disclosure incentives and credible oversight, which could see concrete steps taken by host countries to fulfil the scope of anti-corruption provisions they now need to commit to in the new bids.”

Engineers Against Poverty recommendations

• To tackle the problem of cost overruns, poor documentation and low monitoring: A collaborative open data disclosure mechanism
• To tackle the problem of lack of clarity in planning stages: Partnership with project preparation facilities
• To tackle the problem of poor performance: Creation of an open-book approach to cost management and a contractors’ reputational database
• To tackle the problem of suspected corrupt behaviour and collusive practices: Creation of an independent whistle-blower and complaint handling mechanism
• To tackle the issue of stakeholders’ unethical behaviour: An integrity pact specific to MSEs

Source: New Civil Engineer

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