FIFA outlines plans to ban TPO and new German Sports Betting Association seeks to sure-up online betting

This week’s media has focused on the sentencing of Sanel Kuljic, a former Austrian player who has been given five years in prison for match-fixing and physically harassing other players. He was involved in a nine-year-long scam with former teammate Dominique Taboga, which involved the manipulation of 18 domestic league games in the country’s first and second divisions. Taboga was given a three-year prison term.

CURRENT INVESTIGATION

El Salvador

The Salvadoran General Prosecutor has asked for the ‘provisional detention’ of six of the eleven players who are being prosecuted for their alleged involvement in match-fixing because they did not appear at their court hearing. Between the 21 and 22 of August 2013, the General Prosecutor’s office and the National Police raided the houses of several players investigated for match-fixing, seizing phones, computers and other devices that could contain information regarding the match-fixing allegations. Last year, FESFUT punished 23 out of 27 players investigated for match-fixing (15 were banned for life).

Source: "Fiscalía pide arresto contra futbolistas acusados de amaño de partidos", 29 September 2014, EFE, https://www.prensalibre.com/deportes/mas_deporte_nacional/El_Salvador-amanos_de_partidos-liga_salvadorena-Guatemala_0_1219078237.html

Spain

Abraham Paz, ex player for FC Cartagena, is one of the two Spanish players charged with match-fixing, according to newspaper ‘Marca’. The other player is Jose Vega. Paz has been charged for two matches in the 2012-13 season: Hercules-Sabadell and Huesca-Sabadell. The allegations, made by Quique Hernandez, then Hercules coach, say Paz got in contact with rival players to try and fix the matches. This is not the first time that Paz is involved in match-fixing allegations, the previous time being in 2010. Paz has denied everything.

Source: "Abraham Paz ex del Efese sigue bajo sospecha por amanar partidos", 2 October 2014, La Verdad, https://fccartagena.laverdad.es/noticias/201410/02/abraham-efese-sigue-bajo-20141002014702-v.html

GOOD PRACTICE

Denmark

Denmark’s Culture and Sports Ministry is set to announce a new crime/investigation unit that will tackle match manipulation within the nation’s professional sporting leagues. Danish Minister of Culture Marianne Jelved has revealed that the unit had been formed with the aid of several key establishments including Danish professional sporting bodies, the police, betting operators and governmental agencies. The unit will focus on tackling the criminalisation of sports in Denmark, concentrating on bribery, match fixing and sports fraud. Danish news sources have stated that the Government is willing to stiffen its punishment with regards to sports corruption. Danish football was struck by allegations of match fixing in August, with six people charged for their involvement in match fixing second tier matches.

Source: Ted Menmuir, "Danish Government forms crime unit to tackle match fixing", 2 October 2014, SBC News, https://www.sbcnews.co.uk/featurednews/2014/10/02/danish-government-forms-crime-unit-to-tackle-match-fixing/