INTERPOL Integrity in Sport Bi-Weekly Bulletin - 16-29 May 2016

This week we give the floor to James Watson, eSports Product Owner, Sportradar. He addresses a major concern for emerging technology and sports today, eSports.

For the last two weeks of May, there have been a variety of issues ranging from bribery and match-fixing to the more well-known issue of doping during the Olympics as Rio 2016 approaches. Furthermore, there is a development in the investigation of Portugal's Second Division soccer teams with links to the Russian mafia and a criminal financial network led by Chinese investors.

The Integrity In Sports Programme is currently conducting two training courses in Brazil to develop specialized skills to identify and more effectively combat crimes linked to sport. Both events are aimed at raising awareness and strengthening the capacity of Brazilian law enforcement, security, and justice authorities in relation to integrity in sports ahead of and during the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

THE FLOOR TO...

Mr James Watson, eSports Product Owner, Sportradar

There are many exciting ways to track a sport’s success: stadium attendance, viewing figures, commercial partnership income, player salaries, prize pools etc. While a debate exists as to whether eSports is in fact a sport, what is unarguable, is that across all those measurable, eSports is posting seriously impressive numbers. But there are other ways that sports and those following sports can gauge growth. Put simply, the higher the profile of a sport, the more likely it is that it will struggle with some kind of integrity-related pressures. Sadly, eSports now finds itself facing those demons. Corporate structures and governance is an area where eSports is showing its growing pains, as various stakeholders vie to create the hierarchies, relationships and philosophies that will guide the development and maturation of eSports over the coming years. The recent launch of WESA (the World Esports Association) is the latest such project and supporters and critics will be watching what it promises and what it delivers closely. While a list of performance enhancers in the world of eSports does not overlap neatly with WADA’s Prohibited List, the ESL (the largest eSports tournament organiser) has been in discussions with WADA and NADA since last summer, focusing on creating a list and system that fits this unique world. But it was the recent StarCraft II match fixing scandal which saw top Korean player Life charged with manipulating two matches last May that brought the issue of eSports match fixing back into focus. Esports had its first significant scandal in 2010 when Savior was banned for life by the Korean Esports Association (KESPA). Since then, while the number of traditional bookmakers has grown from just Pinnacle Sports to today’s list of about 80 operators worldwide, it is the unique skin betting sites that have caused a high level of concern. These unregulated sites allow eSports fans (no matter their age) to wager hundreds of dollars’ worth of virtual in-game items on eSports matches and tournaments. In fact, at the recent Esports Betting Summit hosted in London, Rahul Sood of Unikrn told attendants he was shocked to find his 13 year old was placing bets on his favourite eSports teams. Against this backdrop, ESL took the lead and brought Sportradar on board to employ their Fraud Detection System to monitor their tournaments. The FDS, which monitors betting patterns for 11 other sports, monitors all operators offering eSports, as well as the prominent skin betting sites. The team of eSports experts in-house also use live streams from the events to contextualise any betting patterns that seem irregular. In addition, ESL invited Sportradar to deliver a series of educational workshops at the Intel Extreme Masters in Katowice this year, giving teams and players an insight into this murky world, how it works and how it can impact their sport and career. These key preventative and monitoring actions will be critical to protecting the credibility of eSports competitions, but ESL cannot be the only one taking action. While Sportradar are already undertaking risk assessments and providing match fixing reports for other key stakeholders in the ecosystem, and while rumblings of a joined-up “eSports integrity initiative” are definitely welcome, the coming months will find existing followers and new observers looking to all relevant parties for leadership, action, and commitment to integrity: eSports’ continued growth and success undoubtedly depend on it.

INVESTIGATIONS

Cyprus

Police in Cyprus have confirmed that they are looking into allegations from a Portuguese footballer who said that he and other players fixed a football game on the island back in 2011. Pedro Bonifacio – who plays for Portuguese lower league Atletico Malveira but in the past played for Doxa Katokopia and Anagennises Derynia in Cyprus – said in an interview with Expresso magazine that he was part of a fixed game during Doxa’s Cyprus Cup game against Olympiakos Nicosia back on December 7, 2011. The betting volume for that specific game on the night had also hit a disproportionately high total of €590,962. He later backtracked with his comments arguing that he was misquoted by the journalist who interviewed him saying that he was recounting a “story told to him by a friend” adding that he never “spoke of any game, clubs or individuals”. When asked by Super Spor FM if he would cooperate with police who are investigating, he said that he was at their disposal. His comments have made big news across the football community on the island with Police Spokesperson Andreas Angelides confirming that they are now looking into the matter.

Source: "Police looking into Cypriot match-fixing claims", 23 May 2016, In Cyprus, https://in-cyprus.com/footballer-talks-match-fixing-cyprus/

Italy

Unusual betting activity in the city of Frosinone before the club's Serie A defeat to Napoli on Saturday has led to an investigation being opened into a suspected manipulation of the game. Three betting companies -- Intralot, Eurobet and Goldbet -- all noted large sums of money being placed on accumulator bets that involved one Frosinone player being sent off and Napoli winning the game. Frosinone midfielder Mirko Gori was shown a red card after just 13 minutes of the game for kicking the ball against Napoli's Lorenzo Insigne as he lay on the ground after a foul. With Napoli needing to win to finish second and Frosinone already relegated, a victory for the Azzurri -- which would have completed the accumulators -- at that stage was already extremely likely. Napoli won the game 4-0 thanks to a Gonzalo Higuain hat trick. According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, bets on Frosinone being given a red card were suspended before kick-off due to the unusual activity, which has been passed on to an office set up in the wake of previous match-fixing scandals to oversee a correct betting system. The Journalistic Agency for Gaming (AGIMEG) reports that since betting on the red card for Frosinone was suspended due to the unusual activity, no winnings have yet been paid out until an investigation by the authorities is completed.

Source: "Frosinone vs. Naploi betting activity prompts investigation", 17 May 2016, ESPN FC Ben Gladwell, https://www.espnfc.com/italian-serie-a/story/2874815/frosinone-vs-napoli-betting-activity-prompts-investigation

Tuesday, 31 May 2016