Match fixing in association football

The issue of match fixing in association football has been described, in 2013, by Chris Eaton, the former Head of Security of FIFA (the sport's world governing body), as a "crisis",[1] while UEFA's president Michel Platini has said that if it continues, "football is dead."[2] Zhang Jilong, president of the Asian Football Confederation, has stated that it is a "pandemic."[3] The issue also affects a number of other sports across the world.[4]

In May 2011, world governing body FIFA announced an anti-match fixing plan,[5] and in September 2012 FIFA President Sepp Blatter warned that match-fixing endangered "the integrity of the game."[6] In September 2014 the Council of Europe also announced they would tackle the problem.[7]

A number of clubs in countries across the world have been subject to match fixing, including Australia,[8][9] China,[10] and Spain.[11][12] The South African national team has also been investigated.[13]

In the 18 months prior to February 2013, Europol investigated 680 matches in 30 countries.[14] In November 2013, 11 men were charged in Estonia with fixing 17 matches.[15]

The problem is often attributed to criminal gangs based in Asia,[16][17][18] who generate "hundreds of billions of euros per year."[19]

Players who have publicly rejected bribes have been praised.[20]

England

Six people, including three current players and ex-player Delroy Facey, were arrested in November 2013 on suspicion of match fixing.[21] Two Singaporean men were later charged,[22] while two non-league footballers for Whitehawk were also charged in December 2013.[23] As a result of this investigation, three people were jailed in June 2014.[24]

Later that month, professional footballer Sam Sodje was investigated after he was filmed by an undercover journalist claiming to have fixed matches; a total of six people were arrested,[25] including active player DJ Campbell.[26] Campbell was later cleared of all allegations.[27] Cristian Montaño was also named as one of those arrested, and he was later sacked by club Oldham Athletic.[28] Montaño later denied the accusations.[29] In March 2014 the six players were re-arrested, alongside seven new players, all based in North-West England.[30] The seven new players arrested were later named as John Welsh, Keith Keane, Bailey Wright, David Buchanan, Ben Davies and Graham Cummins (who all play for Preston North End), and Stephen Dawson (who plays for Barnsley); all seven stated they were innocent.[31] The men were late released from bail.[32] In January 2015 all 13 players were released without charge.[33]

Representatives from a number of sports met in December 2013 to discuss the issue,[34] while former player Alan Shearer stated there should be a "zero tolerance" approach to the problem.[35] Darren Bailey of the FA also stated that the country's gambling laws did not help in tackling match fixing in the sport.[36]

In June 2014, it was announced that 13 games were believed to have been fixed in British football during the 2013–14 season.[37]

On 1 September 2014 ex-professional player Delroy Facey was charged over alleged match fixing.[38] The trial began in April 2015, when he was accused of being a "middleman" for others who had already been convicted of the crime.[39] After being found guilty later that month he was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in jail.[40]

France

In November 2014, the presidents of Ligue 2 clubs Caen and Nîmes were amongst several arrested on suspicion of match fixing. The arrests followed a 1–1 draw between Caen and Nîmes in May 2014, a result very beneficial for each club.[41][42]

Greece

Corruption has long been endemic in Greek football.[43]

Italy

Gennaro Gattuso was investigated for match fixing in December 2013.[44]

In May 2015 a total of 50 people were arrested in Italy on suspicion of match-fixing.[45]

Nepal

On 14 October 2015, the Kathmandu Police arrested five Nepalese national team players suspected of match fixing in the world cup qualifiers 2011. The arrest was based on information coming from AFC and their collaboration with Sportradar Security Services.[46]

On November 2015, these five Nepalese players appeared in court charged with match-fixing.[47]

Portugal

In 2004, Polícia Judiciária (Portuguese Judiciary Police) launched the operation Apito Dourado and named several Portuguese club presidents and football personalities as suspects of match fixing, most notably FC Porto's chairman Pinto da Costa.[48][49][50] Some of the wiretaps used as proof, which were deemed unusable in court, can be found on YouTube.[51]

Romania

Serbia

In January 2008, the president Ratko Butorović of Serbian first division side Vojvodina Novi Sad, stadium director Milan Čabrić and referees Mihajlo Jeknić, Borislav Kasanski and Goran Kovačević were amongst several arrested on suspicion of match fixing.[52]

Ratko Butorović nicknamed Bata Kankan was arrested on suspicion of bribing referee Mihajlo Jeknic with 4,000 Euros to lead the match at Lučani on December 12 last year in favor of Butorović's Vojvodina Novi Sad that was a visitor.[53]

In October 2009, Serbia beat Romania in a suspicious 5–0 in Belgrade in a FIFA World Cup 2010 qualifying match. After the defeat the Romanian team headed to their hotel in Belgrade and some journalists saw Adrian Mutu leaving to celebrate with the same Ratko Butorović.[54]

In June 2012, Serbia U-19 side played Romania in 2012 UEFA European Under-19 Championship elite qualification the Serbs won 3–0 in Serbia, before the match three Romanian players were seen taking photos with the same businessman Ratko Butorović.[55]

According to Mirko Poledica President of the Sindicate of Professional Footballers in Serbia, it had been a public secret for years that matches were fixed in the country's football championships. 'People have known about match-fixing for a long time, but this is the first time that players talk about it in public. Unfortunately, there is a lot of crime and there are a lot of hooligans in Serbian football. Many of those who know something, have no courage to talk about fixed matches, because of their personal safety. Some of the players have received threatening text messages: if they do not keep quiet, they will suffer serious consequences.'[56]

Sierra Leone

In July 2014 a total of 15 people were indefinitely suspended by the Sierra Leone Football Association over allegations of match-fixing - 4 players (Ibrahim Kargbo, Ibrahim Koroma, Samuel Barlay and Christian Caulker) as well as 3 referees and 8 officials, including Rodney Michael.[57] Koroma later denied the allegations,[58] and an inquiry into the allegations was also announced.[59] The bans on the 15 players was lifted in March 2015.[60]

References

  1. ↑ "Match-fixing: Ex-Fifa security chief wants global intelligence body". BBC. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  2. ↑ "Michel Platini says match-fixing is biggest threat to future of football". BBC. 22 January 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  3. ↑ "Football officials urge corruption action at Malaysia meeting". BBC. 20 February 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  4. ↑ Bill Wilson (23 November 2013). "World sport 'must tackle big business of match fixing'". BBC. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  5. ↑ "Fifa unveils anti-match fixing plan". BBC. 9 May 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  6. ↑ Bill Wilson (10 October 2012). "Fifa determined to tackle international match-fixing". BBC. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  7. ↑ Mike Keegan (17 September 2014). "Match-fixing: Council of Europe set to introduce anti-corruption treaty". BBC. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "British players suspended by Fifa over match-fixing charges". BBC. 30 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  9. ↑ "Fifa bans English footballers for life after match fixing in Australia". BBC. 17 March 2014. Retrieved 17 March 2014.
  10. ↑ "China footballers and officials banned for match-fixing". BBC. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  11. ↑ "Spanish game investigated over possible match-fixing". BBC. 3 May 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  12. ↑ "La Liga chief: Eight to 10 Spanish matches 'fixed each season'". BBC. 11 October 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  13. ↑ "Fifa backs South Africa match-fixing enquiry". BBC. 5 April 2013. Retrieved 18 November 2013.
  14. ↑ Declan Hill (5 February 2013). "Match-fixing: How gambling is destroying sport". BBC. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  15. ↑ "Estonia match-fixing: 11 charged on suspicion of fixing 17 games". BBC. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2013.
  16. ↑ Matt Slater (8 February 2013). "European police blame Asian gangsters for match-fixing". BBC. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  17. ↑ Jonah Fisher (5 March 2013). "Trailing Singapore's 'football match-fixing boss'". BBC. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  18. ↑ "Singapore police arrest 14 in match-fixing raids". BBC. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  19. ↑ "Match-fixing revenues comparable to global firms - Interpol". BBC. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  20. ↑ "Concacaf praises Belize players who rejected match bribe". BBC. 12 July 2013. Retrieved 31 October 2013.
  21. ↑ "Six arrests in football match-fixing investigation". BBC. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  22. ↑ "Two charged over match-fixing claims". BBC. 28 November 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
  23. ↑ "Match fixing investigation: Two more charged". BBC. 5 December 2013. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
  24. ↑ "Businessmen and footballer jailed over match-fixing". BBC News. 20 June 2014. Retrieved 20 June 2014.
  25. ↑ "Six people held by police over football fixing claims". BBC. 8 December 2013. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
  26. ↑ "DJ Campbell held in football fixing probe". BBC. 9 December 2013. Retrieved 9 December 2013.
  27. ↑ Michael Morrison (8 August 2014). "Former Rovers striker DJ Campbell cleared over match fixing allegation". Lacashire Telegraph. Retrieved 11 October 2014.
  28. ↑ "Cristian Montano: Oldham sack winger after spot-fixing arrest". BBC. 16 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  29. ↑ "Cristian Montano denies spot-fixing after Oldham dismissal". BBC. 18 December 2013. Retrieved 18 December 2013.
  30. ↑ "Seven footballers arrested in spot-fixing investigation". BBC. 3 April 2014. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  31. ↑ Dan Roan (4 April 2014). "Preston North End footballers bailed over spot-fixing probe". BBC. Retrieved 4 April 2014.
  32. ↑ "Preston North End players released from bail in spot-fixing probe". BBC. 25 July 2014. Retrieved 27 July 2014.
  33. ↑ "Football 'spot-fixing' case dropped". BBC News.
  34. ↑ "Spot-fixing not widespread, FA says". BBC. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
  35. ↑ "Football fixing claims: Alan Shearer calls for zero tolerance". BBC. 10 December 2013. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
  36. ↑ Richard Conway (16 December 2013). "Gambling laws 'not fit for purpose' claims FA's anti-corruption boss". BBC. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  37. ↑ "Football match fixing: 13 British games fixed - claims". BBC. 4 June 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2014.
  38. ↑ "Delroy Facey charged over match fixing allegations". BBC. 1 September 2014. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
  39. ↑ "Ex-Premier League's Delroy Facey 'was match-fixing middleman'". BBC. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  40. ↑ "Ex-footballer Delroy Facey jailed after match fixing trial". BBC. 29 April 2015. Retrieved 29 April 2015.
  41. ↑ "Marseille arrests and match-fixing probe rock French football". France 24. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  42. ↑ "Presidents of two French clubs arrested on match-fixing suspicions". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 December 2014.
  43. ↑ "Sixteen reportedly charged in Greek football match-fixing investigation". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 December 2014.
  44. ↑ "AC Milan star Gennaro Gattuso investigated for match fixing". BBC. 17 December 2013. Retrieved 17 December 2013.
  45. ↑ "Italy police arrest 50 in football match-fixing probe". BBC. 19 May 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2015.
  46. ↑ "Police file subversion case against accused footballers". The Himalayan Times. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
  47. ↑ "Nepal footballers in treason hearing over match-fixing". BBC. 9 November 2015. Retrieved 9 November 2015.
  48. ↑ "Police raid HQ of European champions Porto". ABC Sport. 3 December 2004. Archived from the original on 4 December 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  49. ↑ "Portugal football bosses arrested". BBC News. 20 April 2004. Archived from the original on 6 May 2004. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  50. ↑ "Soccer-Porto president to stand trial for alleged bribery". Reuters. 25 March 2008. Archived from the original on 11 August 2011. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  51. ↑ "YouTube volta a revelar 'segredos' do futebol" [YouTube reveals again 'secrets' of football] (in Portuguese). Correio da Manhã. 3 October 2010. Retrieved 6 March 2015.
  52. ↑ "Soccer-Five arrested in Serbia over match-fixing". Reuters UK.
  53. ↑ "Blic online - Print". blic.rs.
  54. ↑ "Umiliţi de sârbi în calificările pentru Euro, juniorii s-au mândrit cu pozele cu interlopul Ratko Buturovici". libertatea.ro.
  55. ↑ "De gît cu "ultraboss" » Juniorii U19 s-au fotografiat alături de interlopul sîrb Ratko Buturovici". GSP.
  56. ↑ "Serbian union: 'We want to clean our football'". FIFPro World Players' Union.
  57. ↑ "Sierra Leone match-fixing: Captain Kargbo one of 15 suspended". BBC. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 16 July 2014.
  58. ↑ Ian Hughes (17 July 2014). "Sierra Leone's Ibrahim Koroma denies match-fixing claims". BBC. Retrieved 22 July 2014.
  59. ↑ Mohamed Fajah Barrie (23 July 2014). "Fifa backs Sierra Leone match-fixing inquiry". BBC. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  60. ↑ "Sierra Leone: Bans on 15 alleged match-fixers lifted". BBC. 10 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
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