Harbin, China, August 14, 2025: ‘Be a Game Changer, not a Game Fixer’ was the stirring message given to the children at the Asian Figure Skating Youth Camp in Harbin on Thursday, August 14.
Jamyang Namgyal, Manager, OCA Athletes Department, gave an entertaining presentation on Prevention of Competition Manipulation (PMC), which was not only intently followed by the young athletes, but also their coaches.
This presentation is the third in the OCA’s ‘Guarding the Asian Games’ initiative which is being presented at this camp, following on from lessons on Olympic Values and Safeguarding handed out earlier.
Jamyang took his audience through a colourful powerpoint presentation, mixed with video clips of instances where famous athletes who were caught manipulating competition telling their sad stories of how they were sucked into corruption and having to pay a huge price.
“What is Competition Manipulation,” Jamyang asked his audience at the outset. “You might know it better by the word Match-Fixing.”
Jamyang revealed that the illegal and criminal global sports betting market was estimated at US$100 billion, and all sports were affected, “even chess”.
“In the Philippines, there are more bets placed on high school basketball matches than on the professional league. There is a lot at stake, and you have to report if anyone approaches you to manipulate a match,” Jamyang said.
After an introduction to ‘competition manipulation’, the audience was taken through the rest of the agenda including how to prevent competition manipulation, what the Olympic Movement is doing to prevent it with special focus on Asia, and the importance of presentations like this which raises awareness.
He warned of the threat of criminal involvement and the dangers it posed and pointed out the repercussions facing athletes who got caught up: facing a lifetime ban, jail time and fines, and the loss of credibility.
The presentation ended with the Code of Conduct entrusted to athletes to safeguard careers and their lives being highlighted: Don’t Fix; Don’t Bet; Don’t Share (information); Speak Up (and report if you witness or suspect competition manipulation).
