Case Studies

The Premier League instructed Quest to investigate irregular football player transfer payments. The inquiry involved the detailed scrutiny of 362 transfers focusing on various shortcomings in the way transfers were conducted. Quest worked with the Premier League, The Football Association, clubs, agents and other stakeholders.

The investigation involved interviews, forensic analysis of accounts and in-depth analysis of documentation obtained from organisations and individuals based in several different countries. The inquiry ultimately signed off all but 17 of the transfers and provided pertinent information to the authorities. The final report made extensive recommendations in relation to how processes and procedures should be improved to protect the industry from reputational damage in the future.

Quest was tasked by a high-profile individual running for a senior sports administration post to provide an integrity overlay to their campaign.

To protect our client’s campaign from any unethical activity Quest employed a multi-faceted approach. Risk assessments produced individual and country-specific risk profiles, utilised to mitigate the exposure our client faced in liaising with people and travelling to countries on the campaign trail. Due diligence and covert investigations into nefarious approaches made to the campaign team were undertaken which included surveillance, development of intelligence sources and computer forensics.

A strong relationship with law enforcement agencies and ethics officers allowed for information sharing, which assisted them in ongoing investigations and prompted new investigations into particular matters raised by us. Working together with a communications agency we were able to protect our client’s reputation and ensure their integrity remained intact throughout the duration of the campaign.

Having had “1 case in 20 years”, a medium-sized international sports federation engaged Quest to operate an independent ethics office including a reporting hotline, assessment service, and law enforcement and regulatory liaison.

Since its inception in 2018, multiple cases have been reported through the hotline, including the revelation of an extensive doping network where Quest has supported in the evidence gathering phase.

Having suffered a major corruption scandal, Quest was engaged by this international federation to operate its independent reporting hotline, assessment service, law enforcement liaison and investigations service.

Since its inception, a sophisticated organised crime network has been uncovered and extensive law enforcement liaison has taken place, all at no extra cost to the federation – the ethics office has served as an insurance policy to protect the IF as an organisation.