Collecting Evidence in the Investigation of Crimes Committed in the Field of Sports: International and European Standards

Sport plays an important role in modern society. Its legal regulation is complicated by the peculiarities of the structure of sport, its participants, types of illegal encroachments, and influence measures to eliminate them. Currently, various legal relations are being encroached on in the field of sports: from the field of e-sports to corruption and doping during sports competitions. In view of this, it is important to analyze the international legal regulation regarding the investigation of crimes in the field of sports and to understand the problematic issues of proving this type of crime and the implementation of international standards in national regulation. The purpose of the work is the research of crime in the field of sports from the point of view of its proof, as well as the analysis of international and European standards on this issue. The object of the study is international and European standards for gathering evidence in the investigation of crimes committed in the field of sports. The subject of the study is social relations that arise, change and cease and influence the establishment of standards for the investigation of crimes at various stages of the pre-trial investigation of crimes in the field of sports. The research methodology consists of such methods as: dialectical, metaphysical, systemic, synergistic, anthropological, logical, historical, systemic-structural, structural-functional, formal-legal, and comparative-legal methods. As a result of the conducted research, it was possible to understand the peculiarities of the international legal regulation of criminal activity in the sports sphere. Particular attention is paid to the peculiarities of proving crimes committed in the field of sports. Also, attention is paid to the experience of creation, formation, and application of international measures to combat crime in the field of sports and sports law, their implementation in national legal systems, and problematic issues in the appropriate context. Keywords: evidence, proof, international legal experience, crime investigation, collection of evidence.