FIFA to step up war on illegal betting

By Andrew Warshaw

May 8 – Football’s world governing body is stepping up the fight against match-fixing whilst trying to find ways of improving the game as a spectacle by scheduling two major meetings at its Zurich headquarters this week.

FIFA President Sepp Blatter has a high-level summit with Interpol officials tomorrow to discuss ways of tackling illegal betting, described by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge as the biggest threat to world sport.

In March, FIFA brought charges against six match officials involved in an alleged match-fixing at an international friendly exhibition tournament.

Four national teams – Latvia, Bolivia, Estonia and Bulgaria – were invited to Turkey for a double header and the two games produced seven goals, all scored from penalties.

One of the spot-kicks was even re-taken after the initial penalty had been missed.

The identities of the officials charged have not been released but the friendlies were reportedly organised by a Thail-based company via a Russian intermediary.

Afterwards UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said that the events in Turkey could be smelt “from miles and miles away”.

Blatter recently called on Governments to help FIFA crack down on match-fixing saying the organisation couldn’t do it alone.

Twenty-four hours after Monday’s meeting with Interpol, an elite group of football’s most respected names will convene for the inaugural meeting of the FIFA Task Force Football 2014 under the chairmanship of Franz Beckenbauer.

The Task Force was set up in the wake of the World Cup in South Africa to try and find ways of making the game more attractive, reduce sterility, stamp out cheating and stop teams playing for tame draws.

Pele and Sir Bobby Charlton are also among the members of the 22-strong team who will produce their first report at the forthcoming FIFA Congress, also in Zurich.

Both this week’s meetings will be followed by news conferences attended by Blatter.

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