FIFA and Interpol reveal match fixing in up to 300 matches worldwide

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich

May 9 – Scores of players, officials and referees across both Eastern and Western Europe have been taking bribes to throw up to 300 matches – not just international friendlies but also Champions League and Europa League fixtures.

This was the most startling revelation following a landmark summit between FIFA and Interpol here today designed to crack down on illegal betting, recently described by International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge as the biggest threat to world sport.

Under a new 10-year agreement, Interpol will receive €4 million (£3.5 million/$6 million) from FIFA in the first two years followed by €1.5 million (£1.3 million/$2.2 million) in each of the following eight to try and wipe out the illegal betting rings – invariably centred in Asia – that FIFA president Sepp Blatter warned could further damage his organisation’s credibility.

Blatter said fans had a right to know that matches were being played fairly.

“They will no longer go to football matches if they know they are fixed and if that happens everything that has been created in 107 years in FIFA will count for nothing,” he said.

“FIFA would lose all credibility if fans no longer believe in what is known in Great Britain as the beautiful game.

“It’s not enough to go against corruption and bad behaviour on the field of play.

“We also have to look at those who try to destroy our game.

“The threat of match-fixing in sport is a major one, and we are committed to doing everything in our power to tackle this threat.

“In the fight against illegal betting and match-fixing, the preventive measures that can be taken and the protection of the players and the integrity of the game are of the utmost importance.

“We have to try to put an end to these activities.”

Blatter was flanked by a number of high-ranking crime prevention officers from across Europe, notably Commissioner Friedhelm Althans, who heads the Continent’s largest investigation into match fixing headquartered in the German city of Bochum.

A Bochum court is currently hearing a trial against six men accused of being part of a betting ring that manipulated 48 games.

“We know about 300 matches in 20 countries where we have the suspicion that they may have manipulated,” said Althans, who disclosed that 70 people had already been arrested in Turkey and 29 in Croatia.

“The matches concerned involve mainly lower-ranking leagues but it goes all the way up to national teams, Champions League matches and Europa League matches.

“This outlines the dimensions of the problem.

“The money involved for players, referees and officials amounts to €1.7 million (£1.5 million/£2.4 million) but we don’t know how much has been paid beyond our knowledge.”

Among the games to come under focus in recent months was a friendly tournament in Turkey involving Bolivia, Latvia, Estonia and Bulgaria when seven goals were scored, all of them penalties.

Althans said his inquiry was merely “the tip of the iceberg”.

“There is a worldwide network of people active in this field. It is not a matter simply of pursuing individual players and clubs but to attack the evil by the roots.”

Ronald Noble, general secretary of Interpol, denied the signing agreement was simply a public relations exercise for Blatter ahead of the FIFA Presidential election on June 1.

“FIFA’s engagement sends a strong signal to organised criminals,” Noble said.

“It’s a high profit industry with a low risk of getting caught and low penalties.”

But, he said, Interpol already had a number of successes.

“Asia is a hotbed of match-fixing.

“During the World Cup, we ran an operation out of Malaysia, China, Singapore and Thailand and during a one-month operation, 5,000 arrests were made, in excess of 26 million dollars in cash were seized and illegal gambling dens which handled over 2 billion dollars worth of bets were closed.”

Until now, officials for friendly internationals have been selected by the host federation, but that, crucially is about to change with FIFA taking control.

A resolution to that effect will be put to the FIFA Congress here in Zurich at the end of this month.

“The compulsory announcement to FIFA of the denomination of referees will lead to better control,” Blatter said.

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