Speaking at the AIPS sports integrity symposium in Lausanne, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President said his organisation was set to meet Governments and sporting bodies for the first time at the beginning of March in a summit to tackle the growing problem.

"We will call upon the support of Governments the same way we did in 1998 to create the World Anti Doping Agency," said Rogge.

"The sports world could not solve the problem alone.

"We have to work with Governments, with the lotteries, with bona fide betting companies and everyone concerned with having clean sport," he said.

Writing in an Op-ed for Italy's leading daily sports newspaper, La Gazzetta dello Sport, today the IOC President said: "While illegal betting has yet to be detected at an Olympic Games, we are not naïve.

"We know the day will eventually come.

"We must be vigilant and ensure measures are in place to limit its effect and discourage any recurrence."

In describing the IOC's efforts to banish illegal betting from the Olympic Movement Rogge draws a parallel with the concerted efforts made 20 years ago to address the growing problem of doping abuse.

But he points out that there remain "many International Federations (IFs) and National Olympic Committees (NOCs)" that have no legislation in place to combat irregular and illegal betting.

"Without it," Rogge adds, "there are no grounds on which to punish the cheaters."

Rogge points out that the IOC has been tackling the problem "in earnest" from 2007 and is currently encouraging all partners in the Olympic Movement to adopt rules that forbid betting on sports.

"We initially called on the sports that had dealt with cases of match fixing to join us in taking a unified approach to the problem," he writes.

"Cricket, tennis and football have all done an admirable job in this department but there remain many IFs and NOCs that have no legislation in place to combat irregular and illegal betting.

"Without it, there are no grounds on which to punish the cheaters."

Earlier this month Pakistan cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif (pictured) and Mohammad Aamer faced anti-corruption tribunal on charges of spot-fixing during Pakistan's tour of England last year in a scandal that rocked the sport.

It is alleged that they conspired in the bowling of deliberate no-balls - claims they all deny.

Rogge says that there is already a company in place - International Sports Monitoring (ISM) - to monitor any suspicious betting patterns with the Olympic Movement and to contact any IFs or NOCs implicated.

"Thankfully," he adds, "we did not have to activate this system at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 or in Vancouver last year."

The IOC leader insisted: "As our campaign against doping continues, we are also stepping up efforts to contain another scourge that is increasingly threatening to undermine the credibility of sport - illegal and irregular betting.

"Cases of match fixing and other forms of illegal betting are nothing new.

"They are as old as organised sport itself.

"But with the advent of betting on the internet and the anonymity, liquidity and sheer volume it encompasses, the potential for corruption is at an all-time high.

"It can be argued that there are temptations and more pressure on athletes, coaches, officials and others to cheat for betting gains than at any other time in the past.

"What's worse, this cancer continues to go largely unregulated in many parts of the world.

"Illegal or irregular betting - which should not be confused with the legal and regular betting offered by national lotteries and private entities that is a major source of financing to sport - is potentially crippling.

"Each instance that comes to light undermines confidence in sport, which can lead to spectator apathy and drops in attendance, TV viewership and sponsorship.

"At its worst it can deter people from participating in sports in the first place.

"While illegal betting has yet to be detected at an Olympic Games, we are not naïve - we know the day will eventually come.

"We must be vigilant and ensure measures are in place to limit its effect and discourage any recurrence."

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