A Scoping Review of the Causes and Consequences of Fraud in Sport

Abstract

This study provides a structured overview of the literature published between 2010 and 2020 on the causes and consequences of fraud in sport using a systematic search strategy. Our results show that the current literature on this phenomenon is mostly focused on football as a specific type of sport, and on competition manipulation as a specific type of fraud. Guided by the routine activity theory, we observed that motivated offenders, suitable targets, and the lack of capable guardians render sport vulnerable for fraud in general, and for competition manipulation, corruption, financial fraud, and human trafficking in particular. The consequences of fraud in sport are mostly financial, through a diminution in the public's trust combined with a decrease in attendance and spectatorship to sport events. The phenomenon of fraud in sport remains strongly under-researched through empirical designs, and an interdisciplinary approach is required to tackle its complex nature and scope.