FIFA showcased best practices in cybersecurity and data protection in sport when it held the first of four Data Protection & Risk Networking Event in Zurich and online.

The event featured distinguished speakers from both the French Data Protection Authority (CNIL) and the NFL who shared their experiences and insights on safeguarding against cyber threats and ensuring data privacy.

Serving as a platform for valuable discussions and takeaways, the event was aimed at empowering sports organisations and professionals with enhanced knowledge in data protection and cybersecurity.

Specifically, the speakers underscored the paramount importance of data protection and cybersecurity in the realm of sports. They emphasised the necessity for collaboration and information exchange to proactively combat evolving cyber threats and to stay abreast of data protection trends.

In the first segment, Stephanie Saulnier from CNIL presented the golden rules for processing athletes’ health data. Drawing upon discussions and pertinent topics reviewed by CNIL in anticipation of the upcoming Olympics in Paris, Saulnier’s presentation provided crucial insights into the lawful basis for processing athletes' health data and highlighted essential organisational considerations and concluded by stressing the significance of adherence to data protection regulations in protecting athletes' rights and careers against potential breaches or misuse.

In the subsequent segment focusing on cybersecurity, Tomás Maldonado, Chief Information Security Officer at the NFL, and Lukas Loder, Cybersecurity Manager at FIFA, shared their experiences and insights on managing cybersecurity risks during major events. Maldonado drew parallels between his past experiences in financial institutions and the challenges encountered in mega events, highlighting the shared objective of ensuring data security while maintaining a welcoming atmosphere for stakeholders.

All speakers underscored the critical importance of cybersecurity in sports and entertainment and emphasised the necessity for collaboration and information sharing to counteract cyber threats effectively. Maldonado highlighted the collaboration among cyber adversaries and stressed the importance of collective action among sports organisations to stay ahead in cybersecurity.

The event provided a valuable platform for sports organisations to glean insights from industry experts and share their own best practices, highlighting the importance of meaningful dialogue and knowledge exchange and showcasing the collective commitment of sports organisations to prioritise data protection and cybersecurity in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

This Data Protection & Risk Networking Event is the first in a series of four events in 2024 with Head of Data Protection & Cybersecurity Risk at FIFA, Jorge Oliveira e Carmo, reaffirming FIFA’s commitment to hold these events quarterly.

The series is part of FIFA's mission to make football truly global by fostering global collaboration in privacy and security best practices.