Integrity in sports update: Cricket Australia pleased with results of amnesty
In this week's media recap we have good practice story with Australian cricketers taking advantage of an amnesty to provide information on suspicious approaches in a bid to help the sport rid itself of corruption-related issues without fear of impunity. Many Australians cricketers take part in the Indian Premier League, a rich Twenty 20 competition which has been mired in corruption claims.
With regards to current investigations, a pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants, Japan's most popular baseball team, has been suspended for betting on games, including those involving his own team, which is a violation of the sporting body charter. An investigation involving all players and staff has been launched.
CURRENT INVESTIGATION
Japan
A pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants, Japan's most popular baseball team, has been suspended for betting on games, including those involving his own team. Satoshi Fukuda bet on 10 Nippon Professional Baseball games and 10 major league games in an attempt to win back money he lost gambling on high school baseball games in August. The NPB games included three or four involving Yomiuri. In all, Fukuda is said to have lost more than $8,000. The 32-year-old pitcher did not appear for the top team this season, so there is no suspicion that he fixed games, but gambling is a violation of NPB's charter. In light of the revelations, team president Hiroshi Kubo on Tuesday launched an investigation involving all players and staff. The Giants have also suspended pitcher Shoki Kasahara, who introduced Fukuda to an employee at a tax accounting firm who enticed him to bet on games. The suspensions come as the Giants are preparing for their first game of the postseason on Saturday. Owner Kojiro Shiraishi met with the team on Tuesday, calling the situation "disgraceful and extremely disappointing."
Source: "Yomiuri Giants pitcher Fukuda suspended for bets on baseball", 6 October 2015, NZ Herald News, https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11524804
Singapore
Two Singaporeans have been charged with corruption for involvement in match-fixing in Turkey in 2013, court documents showed Wednesday. In a fresh case that highlights the global reach of football-rigging syndicates in the city-state, Rajendar Prasad Rai, 42, and Shree Manish Kalra, 22, each face three charges at a district court. Two were lodged on Monday and the other in late September. One accuses Rai of “instigating” Kalra to give 25,000 euros (US$28,185) to a Macedonian national, Marjan Stojanchevski, and two countrymen to fix the outcome of a match between SC Charleroi of Belgium and VVV Venlo of Holland on January 11, 2013 in Antalya, Turkey. Another charge says Rai asked Kalra to give 15,000 euros to the same Macedonians to fix a game between Steaua Bucuresti and Dynamo Moscow on February 3, 2013 in Antalya. The third charge alleges Rai asked Kalra to give 27,000 euros to the same people to fix a match between Sturm Graz and Steaua Bucuresti on February 1, 2013 in Antalya. Kalra allegedly handed the money to the Macedonians in all three instances. The charge sheets did not give details of the Macedonians, but a Marjan Stojanchevski is described as a linesman or referee on several football sites. Each charge is punishable by imprisonment for up to five years or a maximum fine of Sg$100,000 (US$70,315) or both. Rai is on bail of Sg$300,000. In a separate case he and another Singaporean are accused of trying to bribe three or four players of a local football team, Singapore Recreation Club, in the local S. League in July 2014.
Source: "Two Singaporeans charged for match fixing ", 7 October 2015, New Straits Times News, https://www.nst.com.my/news/2015/10/two-singaporeans-charged-match-fixing
GOOD PRACTICE
Australia
Australia's cricketers took advantage of an opportunity to provide information on suspicious approaches in a bid to help the sport rid itself of a potentially sinister underbelly. Cricket Australia introduced an amnesty through October and November last year, allowing international and state players to report any corruption-related issues without the fear of impunity. Cricketers face bans of up to five years if it's discovered they have failed to report any suspicious behaviour. CA will not provide specifics on the information provided, but a spokesman said: "Our integrity unit was pleased with the response to the amnesty. The process was confidential and therefore details of anyone that was forthcoming with information cannot be disclosed." Cricketers had self-reported any suspicious behaviour before the amnesty, detailing approaches on local and international shores. It's understood there was no suggestion any Australian player had been involved in attempting to organise any questionable behaviour. Many Australians take part in the Indian Premier League, a rich Twenty20 competition which has been mired in corruption claims. Two franchises, the Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, have been banned for the next two years from the IPL after officials were found guilty of betting on matches. There are estimates the sports betting market is worth about $3 trillion annually, of which cricket contributes about 10 per cent.
Source: Jon Pierik, "Australian cricketers report suspicious approaches", 7 October 2015, The Sydney Morning Herald,
https://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/australian-cricketers-report-suspicious-approaches-20151007-gk3bvp.html
