Integrity in sports update: BCCI to approach home ministry for help tackling match fixing

Successful investigations around the globe have led to a number of arrests with regards to match-fixing and this is highlighted in this week’s media recap. Singapore has arrested two Timor Leste nationals for their alleged roles in match-fixing at the SEA Games. Their co-accused a Indonesian and a Singaporean national were jailed earlier this year and both have been given jail sentences.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has approached the home Ministry to tackle match-fixing in the sport. They are requesting that match-fixing investigations be done by a government agency as their own Anti-Corruption and Security Unit has not been able to detect any match-fixing and have no specific powers thus a joint partnership with government would work best.

CURRENT INVESTIGATION

Armenia

An ad hoc committee to look into risks of match-fixing, illegal wagering and “manipulative” games in Armenia’s soccer league has been established at the suggestion of Armenian Football Federation (FFA) President Ruben Hayrapetyan. The decision was made at the November 4 meeting of the FFA’s executive committee chaired by Hayrapetyan, the FFA press service reported. The ad hoc committee, which will also include FFA executive committee members Hrair Tovmasyan and Viktor Dallakyan, will examine all games of the top and second leagues of Armenian championships and will provide its expert conclusion, the report said. The move comes weeks after a Serbian newspaper alleged four players of Armenia were involved in match-fixing in last month’s Euro-2016 qualifier in Yerevan against Albania. The visitors then scored a victory and qualified for the first time in their history to the European championships finals. But no evidence of any scheme subsequently emerged and no official reference was made to the case at European soccer’s governing body, UEFA.

Source: "Soccer: Armenia to look into match-fixing risks in local league", 5 November 2015, ArmeniaNow, https://www.armenianow.com/sports/soccer/67536/armenia_soccer_federation_match_fixing

Nepal

The National Sports Council (NSC) on Tuesday sought a three-point clarification from the All Nepal Football Association (ANFA) over three issues including the alleged involvement of national footballers in match-fixing.

According to NSC media advisor Rohit Dahal, the national sports governing body told ANFA today to forge clarification in writing over the match-fixing scandal, the disqualification of Nepal Under-16 team from AFC-U16 Championship after AFC said its captain was overage and the ongoing agitation in ANFA. Agitating officials of ANFA had submitted a memorandum to the NSC, raising the issues of match-fixing and disqualification of Nepal U-16 team.ANFA had suspended its four officials, including vice-presidents Karma Chhiring Sherpa, Bijay Narayan Manandhar and Kishor Rai, and member Pankaj Nembang, from its executive committee on September 28.

Source: "National Sports Council seeks clarification from ANFA", 3 November 2015, The Himalayan Times, https://thehimalayantimes.com/sports/national-sports-council-seeks-clarification-from-anfa/

Singapore

SINGAPORE: Two Timor Leste nationals are now on trial for their alleged roles in conspiring to fix a SEA Games football match. Their co-accused were jailed earlier this year. The trial of two Timor Leste nationals accused of conspiring to fix a SEA Games football match has started on Wednesday (Nov 4) at the State Courts. Moises Natalino De Jesus, 31, has been charged with agreeing to offer bribes to players of the Timor Leste football team as well as a technical director of the Timor Leste football association. The alleged bribes were a reward to arrange for the Timor Leste football team to lose their match against Malaysia on May 30. The technical director in question, Orlando Marques Henriques Mendes, 49, has also been charged on three counts under the Prevention of Corruption Act for agreeing to accept the bribe to arrange for the Timor Leste football team to lose their match against Malaysia. The men’s co-accused, Indonesian Nasiruddin and Singaporean Rajendran R Kurusamy, pleaded guilty earlier this year and were sentenced to 30 and 48 months’ jail respectively. Rajendran met accomplice Nasiruddin on several occasions in May 2015 after the latter agreed to help Rajendran in the match-fixing conspiracy, the court heard when the Singaporean pleaded guilty in September. Rajendran told Nasiruddin that if he was able to get information about the Timor Leste team and players, that they would share the profits. Nasiruddin then paid for former Timor Leste football player Moises to travel to Batam. Over there, Moises met Rajendran, who said that he would give a sum of money to the Timor Leste players who could help ensure they lost against Malaysia. Moises then introduced the men to Orlando, who was also the team manager of the Timor Leste SEA Games football team. The quartet met in Singapore at the Orchid Country Club on May 28. At their meeting, Rajendran agreed to give Orlando S$15,000 to help arrange for the Timor Leste team to lose the match. He also offered each player who helped to lose the game S$4,000 each. Hours after this meeting, the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB) arrested the four men. The match proceeded on May 30 and ended 1-0 in Malaysia's favour.

Source: Vanessa Paige Chelvan, "SEA Games football match-fixing: Timor Leste nationals go on trial", 4 November 2015, Channel News Asia, https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/sea-games-football-match/2237630.html

South Africa

South Africa are probing attempts by an international syndicate to corrupt domestic cricket matches, the national body said Friday. Cricket South Africa (CSA) said their anti-corruption and security unit is being assisted by the International Cricket Council (ICC). “This is a timely reminder that we can never drop our guard in protecting the integrity of the game at all levels,” CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. “We have an effective partnership with the South African Cricketers' Association to ensure that our players, support staff and administrators are educated about the nefarious activities of corrupt people." “And they are aware of the consequences of falling victim to any shady approaches." “We will relentlessly pursue, under our code and the law of the land, any persons we believe to be involved in corrupting the game and, with police assistance, will also seek criminal prosecution." “Our attitude to corruption will always be one of zero tolerance and we are confident that the necessary structures are in place to effectively deal with any activity.” While the national team is on a long tour of India, the South African domestic season began with one-day games followed, from last Sunday, by a Twenty20 competition. The T20 Challenge involves the six top-tier franchises and has attracted former England skipper and star batsman Kevin Petersen on a five-match contract.

Source: "CSA to probe match-fixing attempts", 7 November 2015, Independent on line, https://www.iol.co.za/sport/cricket/domestic/csa-to-probe-match-fixing-attempts-1.1942104

Tuesday, 10 November 2015