INTERPOL: Match-fixing investigations in Azerbaijan football, Greek basketball & Nepal cricket
BOXSCORE | LYON (January 24, 2023) INTERPOL has released its bi-weekly "Integrity in Sport" which monitors major developments in corruption in sport around the world.INVESTIGATIONS
- In Azerbaijan, four football players were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in match trading.
- In Greece, two professional basketball teams are under investigation by the Hellenic Basketball Federation for allegations of match-fixing.
- A four-year investigation on match-fixing into Ireland’s professional football league has come to a close, with 15 suspects arrested.
- Following directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Nepal, police from the Central Investigation Bureau arrested two professional cricket players for allegations of match-fixing.
- In an effort to tackle corruption in sport, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association investigated ten professional snooker players who had allegations against them for betting offences.
- A recent professional football match in the United Kingdom is now being investigated by the Football Association over unusual betting activity.
- Following the arrest of a Chinese billionaire who was sentenced for his involvement with organized criminal activity and illegal gambling, British Members of Parliament have raised concerns and calls for action by the Premier League to look into the connections between him and the British tech company working with clubs' betting partners.
SENTENCES/SANCTIONS
- The International Tennis Integrity Agency has banned two players from Algeria on account of their involvement in match-fixing. The two cases emerged as part of a wider law enforcement investigation which took place in Belgium.
- In Kenya, thirteen players and two coaches were suspended for match-fixing by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
- A billionaire from Macau has been sentenced to 18 years in jail after being found guilty of being involved in organized criminal activity and illegal gambling.
- A professional football player from Spain’s La Liga, will serve jail time and pay a substantial fine for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal which he was convicted of, back in 2014.
BETTING
- In Macau, 15 people were arrested as part of a wider operation which extended into mainland China and Taiwan. The suspects were arrested on the ground of their involvement in illegal online gambling and money laundering.
- In the United States, sources have come forward claiming that an MMA fighter coach, who has been suspended as part of a continuing betting scandal with the UFC, was involved in offshore betting operations.
- The High Court of the United Kingdom has ruled against the appeal launched by the legal team of a former chief doctor who worked for the governing body for cycling, in the UK.
- In a study conducted by the Norwegian Gambling Authority, results revealed that a significant proportion of banks adopt good practices in tackling illegal gambling.
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) in Canada reintroduced betting on Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) after it previously banned betting on UFC in Ontario.
- A report published by a Danish broadcasting station revealed a series of match-fixing in handball. The news story was based on a report published by Sportsradar which was released in 2018.
- Following an investigation into fraudulent transfer dealings, an Italian court has deducted 15 points from the Juventus football club’s standing in the Serie A league.
- Ireland’s An Garda Siochana issued a press release regarding an update into Operation Brookweed. The operational initiative was initiated as a result of an investigation into match-fixing in the League of Ireland – following reports made from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and continued with ongoing support by INTERPOL.
- In the Netherlands, 25 professional football players have allegedly bet on matches which they played in and/or matches in their own league. On a wider scale, this news shines a spotlight on the 40 possible match-fixing events which have been reported in the past year.
- An ongoing corruption case involving FIFA has revealed that two former executives from a prominent American media corporation have been charged with bribing soccer officials from South America.
- In Azerbaijan, four football players were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in match trading.
- In Greece, two professional basketball teams are under investigation by the Hellenic Basketball Federation for allegations of match-fixing.
- A four-year investigation on match-fixing into Ireland’s professional football league has come to a close, with 15 suspects arrested.
- Following directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs in Nepal, police from the Central Investigation Bureau arrested two professional cricket players for allegations of match-fixing.
- In an effort to tackle corruption in sport, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association investigated ten professional snooker players who had allegations against them for betting offences.
- A recent professional football match in the United Kingdom is now being investigated by the Football Association over unusual betting activity.
- Following the arrest of a Chinese billionaire who was sentenced for his involvement with organized criminal activity and illegal gambling, British Members of Parliament have raised concerns and calls for action by the Premier League to look into the connections between him and the British tech company working with clubs' betting partners.
SENTENCES/SANCTIONS
- The International Tennis Integrity Agency has banned two players from Algeria on account of their involvement in match-fixing. The two cases emerged as part of a wider law enforcement investigation which took place in Belgium.
- In Kenya, thirteen players and two coaches were suspended for match-fixing by the Football Kenya Federation (FKF).
- A billionaire from Macau has been sentenced to 18 years in jail after being found guilty of being involved in organized criminal activity and illegal gambling.
- A professional football player from Spain’s La Liga, will serve jail time and pay a substantial fine for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal which he was convicted of, back in 2014.
BETTING
- In Macau, 15 people were arrested as part of a wider operation which extended into mainland China and Taiwan. The suspects were arrested on the ground of their involvement in illegal online gambling and money laundering.
- In the United States, sources have come forward claiming that an MMA fighter coach, who has been suspended as part of a continuing betting scandal with the UFC, was involved in offshore betting operations.
- The High Court of the United Kingdom has ruled against the appeal launched by the legal team of a former chief doctor who worked for the governing body for cycling, in the UK.
- In a study conducted by the Norwegian Gambling Authority, results revealed that a significant proportion of banks adopt good practices in tackling illegal gambling.
- The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) in Canada reintroduced betting on Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) after it previously banned betting on UFC in Ontario.
- A report published by a Danish broadcasting station revealed a series of match-fixing in handball. The news story was based on a report published by Sportsradar which was released in 2018.
- Following an investigation into fraudulent transfer dealings, an Italian court has deducted 15 points from the Juventus football club’s standing in the Serie A league.
- Ireland’s An Garda Siochana issued a press release regarding an update into Operation Brookweed. The operational initiative was initiated as a result of an investigation into match-fixing in the League of Ireland – following reports made from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), and continued with ongoing support by INTERPOL.
- In the Netherlands, 25 professional football players have allegedly bet on matches which they played in and/or matches in their own league. On a wider scale, this news shines a spotlight on the 40 possible match-fixing events which have been reported in the past year.
- An ongoing corruption case involving FIFA has revealed that two former executives from a prominent American media corporation have been charged with bribing soccer officials from South America.
