IBIA noted that the appointment highlights its continued commitment to raising the standard of betting education in all sports globally, in particular the rapidly growing North and South American markets.

“Jean-François has been at the forefront of betting integrity education in Europe since its inception,” said IBIA CEO Khalid Ali.

“He led the development of the key principles on sports betting for athletes and, as a former professional, his understanding of the importance of establishing trust with, and direct access to, players has been instrumental in shaping the way in which betting education is approached.

“I’m delighted that we can draw on Jean-François’s unrivaled expertise, knowledge and connections to develop bespoke training programs for sportsmen and women to assist them in understanding the challenges and threats in this area.”

Reymond will work closely with key stakeholders - notably player associations and IBIA partners - in a range of jurisdictions, to establish and support betting education campaigns.

A professional basketball player for over 12 years, he became Secretary General of EU Athletes in 2012, leading two major European sports betting education projects. He was also a member of the French national platform against the manipulation of sports competitions from 2016 to 2019, and until 2017 was Vice-President of the World Player Association.

Reymond commented: “Protecting the integrity of sport means protecting the integrity of athletes. A lack of awareness of a growing number of differing regulatory models and sporting rules is creating an increasingly challenging environment for sportspeople.

“The knock-on impact on their professional careers, reputations and livelihoods can be severe, as we have unfortunately recently witnessed in the NFL. That is what motivates me, as an ex-professional myself, to get this important message across to all athletes.

“I am delighted to be working with the IBIA to support them in their mission to help promote and raise the standard of education and understanding around sports betting.”