LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) — International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Jacques Rogge on Wednesday hit out at illegal sports betting comparing it with the evils of doping.

Speaking during a press conference to mark the end of the three-day executive meeting in Lausanne, IOC president Rogge said: "As with doping, we need a global approach involving all the international federations".

The IOC has called upon the expertise of Lord Condon, former commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, who headed the International Cricket Council's (ICC) anti-corruption unit which probed illegal betting in the sport.

"Lord Condon has advised a strengthening of betting regulations by the international federations", said Rogge, who also regards tennis and football as the only federations to have genuine policies on the subject which include agreements with betting organisations.

"Lord Condon also recommended setting up an education programme and a system of monitoring betting companies to pick up on any abnormalities in betting patterns."

Despite the IOC's fears, Condon said he did not believe the Olympics was at risk.

"The bad guys can go to other events when it's easier to get cheating carried out by sportsmen," said Condon.

"Elite sports men and women at the pinnacle of their careers, at the Olympics, are probably less likely to cheat for betting purposes than they would through drugs.

"But certainly on cheating for betting purposes, the Olympics is not a high-risk area."

Rogge told reporters that the IOC and legitimate betting companies work well together to battle the problem.

"They have their statistics, they have their computers and they can immediately say, 'This is not normal. Why is there so much betting?' Then they can inform us. And then we can act."