Developing an Evidence-Base for a National Police Agency to Address Competition Manipulation in Sport

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to describe the processes undertaken in the development of an evidence-base related to competition manipulation in sport for a national police agency. The research reported underpinned the creation of a film to deter the involvement of young athletes in serious organized crime. The environmental contexts, including the police environment and the sporting environment that the film was being developed for, are presented and reflected upon. Our approach is outlined, including a research phase employing focus groups and a development phase examining how to communicate the underpinning evidence. The paper concludes with reflections on the project novelty and applications for practitioners looking to apply their professional skills in a similar or related context (e.g., tactical profession populations, including military personnel, paramedics, and firefighters) based on our experiences in working with a national policy agency. The takeaway applications focus on gaining entry, planning interventions involving role models, and helping to promote optimal organizational functioning.