Scotland is being naive over match fixing; Fifa less naive over ticket touting

by Tony Attwood

According to the Scotsman and the Evening Express, Uefa are contemplating an investigation into claims that Aberdeen’s 5-0 Europa League victory over FK Daugava Riga from Latvia was fixed.  Aberdeen went on to win the second leg 3-0 in Latvia.

The Evening Express has reported that FederBet, the betting industry’s anti-corruption organisation is putting together a report to be sent to European football’s governing body and that action will follow.

The report suggests that there were suspicious activities from known match-fixing agencies in betting markets in Asia in relation to this game.   Federbet suggest that the allegations do not involve Aberdeen in any way, and this is normal.  It is the team losing the game, or doing something unusual, that invariably is involved.  It is much easier to agree to let in five goals, than it is to say “we will score five and stop”.

Latvia has previous when it comes to this sort of thing.  Dinaburg were beaten 8-0 by Hibernian on aggregate in an Intertoto Cup round in 2006, and were then expelled from both the Baltic Football League and the Virsliga in October 2009 following allegations of match-fixing.  The club’s president, Oleg Gavrilov, and their coach  Tamaz Pertia were banned for life as a result.

But if Scottish football thinks this is all being dealt with, they might be mistaken.  For although FederBet works alongside Serie A and Serie B in Italy as well as the Spanish football association, Uefa and the English FA have nothing to do with them.  The Scottish FA has to decide which way it is going on this one.

Indeed in the article FA refuse to investigate match fixing, even with evidence handed over on a plate  Untold reported that the Football Association was failing to investigate match-fixing allegations even where detailed evidence has been handed over to them by Federbet.

Meanwhile in other dodgy dealings Ray Whelan, the senior British executive with Fifa’s ticketing “partner” Match Hospitality, has been called a fugitive by Rio de Janeiro police after they trotted over to his hotel to arrest him and he wasn’t at home.   Ticket touting, which is what Mr Whelan is accused of, is illegal in Brazil.

Match is part owned by a firm involving Sepp Blatter’s nephew.  Its contract with Fifa for the world cup this year is worth around £175m and it is being suggested that a ticket touting ring whose trades amount to about half the total turnover of Match are selling VIP tickets and hospitality packages.

The British ambassador in Brazil said 22 UK citizens have been arrested in Brazil for  ticket touting.

Match have said that they don’t think their man is a fugitive in that his earlier arrest did not come with a restriction on his movements.  Match then asked the police to justify the arrest of Whelan.  In reply Fabio Barucke, said police expected to broaden their investigation into ticket touting to include senior football administrators.

In a survey reminiscent of that involving Juventus’ match fixing operations, police in Brazil recorded almost 1000 calls between Whelan and the ticket broker Lamine Fofana after 12 June.  The argument is that Fofana is a known re-seller.  But Match say the tapes, which were leaked to Globo, the Brazil radio and TV company, prove his innocence as the $25,000 worth of tickets under discussion with Fofana were being sold at its published rates.   Match has a contract with Fifa that runs until 2023.

9 Replies to “Scotland is being naive over match fixing; Fifa less naive over ticket touting”

  1. i dont think that a countries football association should be the one to decide whether or not to investigate match fixing in their country. they have no incentive to expose their domestic leagues in a potential scandal. they will lam bast any other country for corruption, violence, racism and match fixing but understandably don’t want those charges leveled at them. most countries FA’s especially in europe are making millions and they are scared to lose that.
    surely watch dogs like federbet would be better off taking these kind of charges to the police or interpol. third parties whose incentives are not compromised.

  2. As we said at the times the news came out there has to be some investigation about money laundering concerning the transfer from Luiz to PSG

  3. Walter

    Exactly

    He has been woeful. At it again tonight.

    What was it? 50/60 Million?

    Absolute disgrace.

  4. Yes, Luiz is a joke. His only contribution should be earning at least a red every game.

  5. Luiz looked very sluggish, both physically and mentally – has he been smoking something?

  6. Haha. £50m between two oil-soaked, billionaire-owned clubs for a suspect “defender”. Nope, nothing to see here, move along. £48m = Sánchez + Mertesacker + change.

    Luiz disgusts me. The dirty, fouling, saccharin-soaked Brazilian and their fans that boo all opponents disgust me. Just had to get that off my chest.

  7. I think it’s imperative that despite the corrupt activities surrounding football, Arsenal should and I believe, will stay true to their legal and moral style of getting things done. I hope some fans will able to look beyond or rather outside the sick bubble they are living in. After all, it takes a genius to see the work of another genius.

  8. In my mind, there is no doubt the Luiz transfer is flawed. Either money laundering or a way to cook the books for FFP.
    Will anyone investigate?

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