OT: Football/soccer match-fixing scandal

[Liv2RideHard]

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/?cc=5901

Global scandal. Reaches to the World Cup and Euro Cup match level.

It would be like baseball umpires or NFL/NBA refs fixing games...which has happened.

This appears huge. I do not think the sport will collapse but it certainly will not help it.

[flydhest]

Worse than doping in cycling? My view is "yes."

[William]

http://racineinruins.files.wordpress.com/2012/11/toto-exposes-oz1.jpg?w=630

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!! Enjoy the show!!!:rolleyes:




William

[goonster]

The sport has survived many such scandals.

Here (http://espn.go.com/espn/print?id=7927946&type=story) is an excellent, in-depth article on another match-fixing operation.

Please note that the current scandal alleges matches fixed in World Cup qualification, not the World Cup tournament. From what I can tell, this latest scandal involves a very large number of games, but none in the top-tier European leagues. That should not make anyone complacent.

One story that has emerged is that Liverpool (who I support) played Debrecen (Hungary) in a 2009 Champions League qualifier, which the latter team were allegedly paid to throw by three goals, to cover the spread, and the Reds were still able to win only 1:0.

What I find difficult to understand is how closely the sport is tied to betting organizations in the UK and Asia. I believe there are several EPL teams that have a bookmaker as the marquee shirt sponsor, and you see bookmakers advertising all the time on the pitch-side boardings. What can go wrong?

[rwsaunders]

Worse than doping in cycling? My view is "yes."

Apparently Europol does too...Asian crime syndicate is behind it.

https://www.europol.europa.eu/content/results-largest-football-match-fixing-investigation-europe

[veloduffer]

It is worse than doping because the outcome is predetermined. :no:

[christian]

[I do not think the sport will collapse
That seems the understatement of the day. I don't think it will affect football at all. At the end of the day, professional football appears to be a pretty good money printing machine!

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . I've grown so cynical that I assume that EVERY professional sport is corrupt and that every professional athlete has to be assumed to have a good chance of being a cheater.

I really hate to feel that way, but people are people and every sport is run by . . . people.

BBD

[ultraman6970]

Well had to find the thing googling somewhere else, the interpol is figuring out whats going on because looks like over 680 matches were fixed. Well after all LA did not do that bad eh? :)

Maradonna said that for the world cups they doped big time, so this doesnt surprise me at all because there is way too much money in soccer, american football and baseball the same situation, probably games are fixed there too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/sports/soccer/investigation-finds-suspected-fixing-in-680-soccer-matches.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[2LeftCleats]

What's next? Professional wrestling?

[jamaris]

Well had to find the thing googling somewhere else, the interpol is figuring out whats going on because looks like over 680 matches were fixed. Well after all LA did not do that bad eh? :)

Maradonna said that for the world cups they doped big time, so this doesnt surprise me at all because there is way too much money in soccer, american football and baseball the same situation, probably games are fixed there too...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/05/sports/soccer/investigation-finds-suspected-fixing-in-680-soccer-matches.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

I know it's true, I really do, I just wish it wasn't.

[ultraman6970]

What????

Thought all the drama in pro wrestling was for real, Damm it!

What's next? Professional wrestling?

[wc1934]

If you go on any of the soccer web sites you will see all sorts of ads for betting on games- you can easily start an account - not sure of the legality of betting here in the US but it is BIG business.

[goonster]

Excellent summary of this story here (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/blog/_/name/espnfcunited/id/3203?cc=5901).