FIFA stands down Saudi ref Al Mirdasi from World Cup duty for soliciting bribes
May 31 – The Saudi referee appointed by FIFA for the World Cup has been dropped after he was handed a life ban in his homeland for match-fixing.
Match-fixing
Surkis fury over timing of Ukrainian matchfixing raids and inaction of FFU
By Samindra Kunti in Kiev
May 25 – Accusations of match-fixing rocked Ukrainian football this week but UEFA Executive Committee member and former Ukrainian FA boss Grigoriy Surkis has blasted the timing of the police raids and the inertia of the local FA in not having dealt with the problems. He called for a thorough investigation. Kiev hosts the Champions League final on Saturday.
Ukrainian minister says 66% of top clubs involved in criminal match-fixing gangs
By Mark Baber
May 23 – Ukraine’s under-fire Interior Minister, Arsen Avakov, has accused 35 of the nation’s top football clubs of involvement in massive match-fixing operations which involved five criminal gangs, at least 320 people and up to $5 million a year in illegal earnings.
El Salvador in match-fixing shame again as Maradiaga fails to report World Cup fix
May 3 – Former El Salvador head coach Ramon Maradiaga has been handed a two-year ban from all football activities by FIFA for allegedly failing to report a match-fixing attempt.
SIGA to host Expert Summit on Sports Betting Integrity, May 8, Oporto
April 25 – The Sports Integrity Global Alliance (SIGA) is holding an Expert Summit on Sports Betting, Integrity & Media in Oporto, Portugal, May 8.
Naughty Red Imp Bradley Wood banned for betting on his own bookings, twice
April 20 – In the latest match fixing-related case to hit English football, a lower-league player has been banned for six years for twice intentionally getting booked.
Maltese match-fixers lose their appeal as UEFA maintains zero tolerance line
April 13 – Four Maltese under-21 players banned over match-fixing offences in December have had their appeals rejected by UEFA’s appeals body.
UEFA slams Skenderbeu with 10-year European ban and €1m fine for matchfixing
By Paul Nicholson
April 2 – Albania’s leading club KF Skënderbeu has been issued with a 10-year ban from European competition by UEFA for matchfixing.
Austria’s Play Fair Code and Sportradar expand intelligence links in war on match manipulation
March 28 – Austria’s Play Fair Code (PFC) has strengthened ties with Sportradar’s integrity group via a memorandum of understanding that will increase information exchange and focus on education and prevention of corruption in sport – particularly with regard to matchfixing.
UEFA boosts intelligence data for war on matchfixing with ESSA deal
March 27 – UEFA has boosted its armoury in the war on matchfixing with an information-sharing agreement with sports betting integrity body ESSA.
Tackling Matchfixing: Macedo de Medeiros and Van Seggelen call for more action
By Andrew Warshaw
March 12 – Football is losing the war against matchfixing despite the rhetoric put out by established bodies attempting to tackle the sport’s most critical issue.
Tackling Matchfixing: Football’s integrity leaders commit to killing a cancerous epidemic
By Andrew Warshaw
March 8 – One of the most significant summits dedicated solely to matchfixing in football painted a grim picture today of the extent of the issue as key speakers outlined how judiciary and integrity bodies are battling to deal with what has become a global epidemic.
Tackling Matchfixing: FIFA act to protect 2018 World Cup against fixers
By Andrew Warshaw
March 9 – FIFA are to hold a special training course ahead of the World Cup to make sure there is no temptation to fix matches.
Tackling matchfixing: Lower leagues remain soft targets for criminal match fixers
By Patrick Kelly-Burton
March 8 – Lower leagues in world football are at far greater risk of being rigged than the top divisions which enjoy most of the surveillance.
Tackling Matchfixing conference kicks off Friday March 9
March 8 – The Tackling Matchfixing conference in London’s Chelsea Harbour will see more over 25 specialists in the area address the key dangers to sport and how football and sports judiciary and integrity bodies are battling the matchfixing plague.