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MACOLIN, Switzerland (AP) — Fifteen European countries have signed a treaty pledging better prevention and prosecution of match-fixing and corruption in sports.
Germany, Russia and Switzerland were among signatories on Thursday at a meeting of sports ministers called by the Council of Europe.
Thorbjorn Jagland, secretary general of the 47-nation body, says the treaty is "a major step forward for integrity, ethics and transparency in sport."
Member states agreed to improve international cooperation between law enforcement agencies, sports governing bodies, and betting operators.
Jagland says officials from Israel, Japan and Morocco also attended the conference.
UEFA welcomed the treaty as it published a code of conduct agreed with European football leagues, clubs and players' unions.
UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino says "it is important that the states acknowledge that (match-fixing) is a criminal offense."
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