Romanian youth focus on player safeguarding and threat of match-fixing with Integriball 2.0 project

March 31 – The Romanian Football Federation (FRF) has launched its Integriball 2.0 project, which aims to protect female and young footballers from threats related to safety and sports manipulation.

FRF, together with the CSCF Foundation for the Integrity of Sport, hosted two major training events at its headquarters. The initiative responds to the specific needs of female and young footballers, and is the first program of its kind in Romania.

The first event, with the participation of players from grassroots clubs, tested specialised training materials, developed by experts from the CSCF Foundation for Sport Integrity, BGS and ULIS, in a pilot program. The session aimed to adjust the curriculum for trainers, providing players with the knowledge and tools necessary to maintain integrity standards both on and off the field.

The next event, entitled ‘Train the Trainer’, brought together nearly 30 trainers from the Romanian Football Federation and clubs from the national leagues. Participants were engaged in interactive workshops focused on key topics such as preventing harassment and aggression, recognizing and combating sports manipulation, and implementing effective reporting procedures. Expert from CSCF, BGS, ULIS and the Romanian Football Federation guided coaches through practical exercises.

Integriball is an Erasmus+ supported project, coordinated by CSCF, in partnership with the Football Federations of Estonia, Georgia and Romania, together with Berkeley Global Society and ULIS. It aims to improve protection and integrity practices in women’s and youth football.

Building on the success of the original Integriball project – which was implemented in Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Greece and Malta – Integriball 2.0 is expanding its initiatives to Estonia, Georgia and Romania. With the support of UEFA, the project aims to create a more ethical and safer sporting environment, ensuring accessibility and protection for all players.

The ultimate goal of the project is to maximize its impact by providing young male and female footballers with the necessary information to protect themselves against the risks of sports manipulation and to understand the importance of integrity in sport.

Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1743778989labto1743778989ofdlr1743778989owedi1743778989sni@o1743778989fni1743778989