The role of organized crime in the field of sports with the aim of financing terrorism and the mechanism to combat it

Abolhasani, Reza; Bashirieh, , Tahmoores; Yousefi Sadeghloo,, Mahdi

doi:10.22106/jlj.2025.2052396.6203

The role of organized crime in the field of sports with the aim of financing terrorism and the mechanism to combat it

Document Type : Research/Original/Regular Article

Authors

reza abolhasani ¹

, tahmoores bashirieh ²

mahdi yousefi sadeghloo, ³

¹ PhD student in Criminal Law and Criminology, Kish Azad University, International Branch

² Assistant Professor, Department of Criminal Law and Criminology, Faculty of Law and Political Science, Allameh Tabatabaei University

³ Assistant Professor, Department of Private Law, Payam Noor University

10.22106/jlj.2025.2052396.6203

Abstract

Currently, the link between terrorism and organized criminal groups at national and international levels has become a global challenge. The interaction between these two phenomena within the realm of sports has created a means for financing terrorism. The global sports community is concerned about the harmful consequences of this connection and agrees that identifying the key points of this link and fostering cooperation among governments and civil institutions to cleanse sports of terrorism is essential. This study, considering this necessity, employs an analytical and descriptive method using library resources to address the question of how sports, through the involvement of transnational organized criminal groups, have become a tool for financing terrorism, and what strategies the international community has to combat this phenomenon. The research demonstrates that terrorism, with the help of certain criminal groups active in the sports sector, seeks to exploit the financial benefits available in this field. It also shows that revenues from criminal activities such as drug and arms trafficking, after money laundering through sports channels, can be transferred to support terrorism. The study concludes that the global community must identify the pathways of terrorism financing within sports by harmonizing domestic laws with international treaties, combating administrative corruption, and empowering civil institutions in this regard. Governance transparency can also serve as a turning point in disrupting the tripartite interaction between criminal groups, terrorism, and sports.

Keywords

Terrorism

Transnational Criminal Group

Sport

Transparency

Terrorist Financing

Money Laundering

Subjects