The Global Alliance for Integrity in Sport (SIGA) has officially opened applications for professional organizations interested in acting as Accredited Certification Bodies (ACBs).
The strategic rollout marks a major evolution in the entity’s regulatory structure, shifting away from its historical centralized model to implement a decentralized verification network possessing genuine global reach. The milestone announcement takes place during the high-visibility window of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, reinforcing SIGA’s campaign to accelerate the cross-border deployment of its strict independent compliance mechanisms.
Licensing Third Party Auditors Under the SIRVS Framework
At the immediate center of the decentralized compliance rollout is the Independent Rating and Verification System (SIRVS). The alliance presents SIRVS as the world’s only independent framework dedicated exclusively to evaluating and rating sports organizations based on the Universal Standards for Integrity in Sport. These rigorous operational baselines span critical governance tracks, including organizational transparency, financial integrity, youth development protection, and anti-corruption measures within sports betting markets.
To keep pace with modern technical trends, the entity is also finalizing secondary parameters to assess social and environmental sustainability alongside the ethical use of artificial intelligence inside sports administration.
Under the newly deployed architecture, SIGA will transition from direct auditing to granting specialized commercial licenses to qualified third-party firms to conduct independent SIRVS assessments across clearly defined operational scopes. These approved jurisdictions may target specific geographic regions, isolated regulatory standards, or distinct segments of the sports entertainment market.
To maintain uncompromised technical oversight, the parent alliance will retain exclusive ownership of the underlying standards, auditing methodology, intellectual property, quality assurance loops, and central governance. This dual-track approach ensures absolute consistency and institutional credibility across all certified organizations globally.
Mobilizing Professional Firms as Co-Architects of Governance
The initiative represents the largest structural expansion in the history of the organization, designed to make independent integrity audits accessible to sports entities of all sizes, independent of their localized governance levels. SIGA is accepting applications from professional enterprises with established backgrounds in auditing, verification, compliance checking, risk management, commercial law, corporate accounting, or professional services.
Eligible candidates face an intensive review process evaluating their historical field experience, financial sustainability, conflict of interest policies, and baseline operational capacity. Approved bodies receive non-exclusive accreditation and can access an exclusive Pioneer ACB package designed to recognize early corporate adoption.
Emanuel Macedo de Medeiros, Co-Founder and Global CEO of SIGA, emphasized that the global sports industry requires rigorous, external verification to rebuild public trust:
“For too long, sport has been its own arbiter. Scandals in governance, finance and betting have shown, time and again, that tossing one’s own responsibility and declaring oneself fit for purpose is neither sufficient nor considered truly trustworthy. The world demands proof — independent, rigorous, internationally recognized proof — that sports organizations govern themselves and operate with integrity. SIRVS exists to provide exactly that. Today, as we open the doors to Accredited Certification Bodies around the world, we ensure that no sport, and no country, is left behind. This is not an administrative change. This is the moment when SIGA’s mission becomes truly global — and Sport finally receives the ultimate solution to safeguard its own integrity, credibility and future.”
Katie Simmonds, SIGA Global Commercial Director and SIRVS Technical Team Coordinator, added that the program offers a unique business opportunity for tier-one professional service firms to drive genuine impact:
“This is a strategic opportunity for organizations with recognized expertise in assurance, compliance, auditing and professional services to expand their role in sport, directly contributing to higher standards of governance and integrity. The organizations that present themselves now will not be mere service providers, they will be co-architects of a more responsible and reliable sports industry. This is a rare opportunity to combine business purpose with genuine impact. The ACBs will be at the center of an international movement that is changing the way sport is governed and how the world sees it.”
Organizations interested in securing accreditation have until October 1, 2026, to consult the formal terms and submit their documentation via SIGA’s digital portal.
