This summer, USR deputy Brian Cristian, who also serves as vice-president of the Youth and Sports Committee in the Chamber of Deputies, introduced a bill in Parliament aimed at creating a distinct offense in the Penal Code for manipulation of sports competitions.
This legislation sought to penalize individuals involved in the sports phenomenon who continue to engage in betting that undermines sports integrity for personal or group gain.
Under the proposal, such acts would be punishable by imprisonment ranging from six months to four years, along with possible disqualification from certain rights or fines.
Senators Say “No”
Romania remains one of the few European countries without a clearly defined legal framework for this offense in its Penal Code. Initially, the initiative received praise from experts, representatives of the Romanian Football Federation (FRF), athletes, and supporters.
Recent incidents involving clubs, administrators, and players in football have become increasingly frequent, with many being revealed by the FRF Integrity Committee. These cases have led to suspensions and fines, but only in accordance with internal regulations.
Last month, the Human Rights Committee and the Youth and Sports Committee both favored the bill. However, the Legal Committee recently issued a rejection report, effectively opting to maintain the vulnerabilities in the current legislation.
“A Shield for Betting Mafia”
In response to the Legal Committee’s rejection, Deputy Cristian stated, “The Romanian state cannot continue to turn a blind eye to rigged matches. The known cases in Romanian football prove that this phenomenon is real. Currently, existing sports sanctions and offenses do not provide a comprehensive criminal response against competition manipulation.
“Sports integrity must outweigh political interests, but the senators in the Legal Committee have demonstrated the opposite. Furthermore, with their vote, they protect the betting mafia instead of safeguarding the values of sports and supporters.”
He emphasized that Parliament has a duty to provide prosecutors with the necessary legal tools to stop criminal networks and incarcerate offenders, rather than becoming a shield for those who destroy sports competitions.
Cristian accused the senators of believing that such offenses should be governed by a special law rather than the Penal Code, arguing, “This amounts to transforming a legislative technicality into an obstacle to combating crime.
Given that international betting mafias exploit Romanian sports, rejecting additional criminal tools only benefits those involved in these practices.”
Despite the negative vote from the Legal Committee, the legislative process for the bill is not halted. It will go to a vote in the Senate plenary on Monday and subsequently in the Chamber of Deputies, which is the decision-making body.
