Match-fixing claim zeroes in on NRL, AFL

One legal Asian bookmaker took bets totalling $49 million for just 1 A-League home & away match. This was just ONE bookmaker in Asia, and it held a larger betting pool for A-League math than the EPL, Manchester derby played later that night! I'd be surprised if any single bookmaker held $49 million in bets for the AFL or NRL Grand Finals! As A-League gains recognition in Asia, the money being wagered will increase. Asian gamblers: a) love to bet on football; b) love to bet DURING the game as the odds are moving The A-League is in the ideal time-zone for the Asian market; when European games are being played, the majority of East Asia is fast asleep.

The Fairfax press role in this is interesting. Here are 2 articles in the Sydney Herald this morning http://www.smh.com.au/sport/confusion-reigns-over-who-can-name-accused-dopers-20130210-2e6kg.html http://www.smh.com.au/sport/players-and-clubs-await-naming-of-drug-cheats-20130210-2e6lu.html The first article is on page and the other on page 22. Foe a newspaper that relies on over the counter sales, the headline on the page 22 article could have been "embellished" to grab peoples eyes and put in page 1 but the current page 1 headline means nothing...In the page 1 report somehow the NRL are absolved by doing nothing for the moment but the AFL are"under pressure" to release details. What?? Fairfax Radio still in line for the radio rights I guess!!!!

I wonder if the phone taps were all on high alert in the hours after the report was released. That would make sense

I like the word "some" thorughout the report. I wish they would define some. More or less and 5?

Yes this story did conveniently push the Craig Thompson criminal charges and the quitting ministers and the abject failure of the mining tax off the front pages. More fools us. Not saying the report is not real or serious, but after reading it, it has a feel of being released earlier than was possibly prudent, like say in October after the federal election.

I think that's fairly prudent advice Anon. Soccer would be foolish to think they are 100% clean without having audits or investigations done. The AFL is, by far, ASADA's biggest client and pays over $500,000 each year to comply with ASADA testing. If I were the AFL, I'd be asking: "what have you guys been doing?"

Thought the Gold Coast Suns/Carlton match at Carrara last season was dodgy at the time. That surely needs looking at.

Life imitating art - the first footy themed film since 1980 is about to premier: http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-02-09/new-footy-movie I understand the producers used the ACC report as a major input into the script, in particular, the colourful bits where a good deal of poetic license was used.

Anon We all suspected it at the start, but it's now crystal clear, that the reference to the two major football codes was there to add a bit of spice to an otherwise dull report on amateur sport, body building and anti-aging clinics. The question is - who asked the ACC to spice up the report?

Redb No, no, no - you have it all wrong - Fussball has been writing on every thread that there is so much more in the official report that hasn't been revealed. You and I don't understand. The ACC has all the evidence to back it all up. Their report was quite focused. They have not exaggerated anything. There has been no political interference. There has been no political grandstanding. This is not about body building and anti-aging clinics. There is no match fixing in soccer.

This article has been proven incorrect, there are zero AFL games under investigation for match fixing. Zero. The tab should be changed as its misleading.

from the ACC's perspective it IS a BIG issue - all this illegal importation of drugs. Using the major sporting codes to fly their investigative banner is a master stroke. The police will probably bust 100 people regarding that. But - will WADA get any scalps at all?? I do suggest that we give some of these sports scientists a bit of credit - - even if they do use something to illegal levels that then metabolises out of the system before any tests - I seriously doubt they have the recipe up on the whiteboard in their back office.

all these public declarations are interesting though - given the united front presented in seemingly a feeling of detente - no sooner have the tickets home been booked then people are again seekng to brand protect on behalf of themselves.....in this I think most specifically of D.Gallop on behalf of the FFA came out really, really quickly (too quickly I reckon). CA too. As I commented to Fuss (etc etc) on another thread - given the preamble to the ACC report states the following : “Based on intelligence provided to the ACC, Project Aperio primarily considered two major sporting codes in Australia and collected incidental intelligence relating to other sporting codes.” “This report does not provide a comprehensive summary of all relevant activity of concern in all sports, or all sporting clubs and franchises in Australia. Rather it represents a snapshot of the activity,” So, the other codes have only been implicted via 'incidental intelligence' rather than a focussed and specific investigation. So - - to me, I take that as anything but a clean bill of health. "it represents a snapshot of the activity" - - implication here being that the ACC expects that the findings quite likely will find parallels outside of the particular and relatively narrow investigative scope. The FFA has it's own concerns now with the interest of potential foreign owners/investors in clubs. Beware of any that have interests in Singapore!!! Again though - if you and Fuss want to read all that as meaning that the FFA (or ARU or heck, even Hockey, Cycling etc) must be 'clean' because not much was turned up in this particular report ; well, I'd suggest that's not a conclusion that should be taken from it.

Interestingly the Minster for Justice today spoke about how players of both the AFL and NRL have come forward regarding doping. From the information TC supplied it is very clear that the sport of football has been tarnished by this report, whereas it should most likely only have been one player (I believe more and more that Essendon is fine and they only asked for an investigation after links were found to Dank). If the ACC were a person there would be strong grounds for defamation. Also a side note. I believe this investigation will significantly affect the ability of any sport to gain major funding during this election campaign. It is traditionally a time when sport can lobby the goverment due to sports position in Australian society. No party will want to be linked with any sport due to the possible link to future match fixing/doping claims.

Gerard Whately talking on ABC now, Gil McLachlan, 2IC in the AFL, has now confirmed there are two instances connected with the AFL of suspected use of banned substances: 1. the Essendon case; and 2. one individual in another club. No other issues relating to PEDs. No match fixing issues in relation to the AFL. That's it. As Gerard "Pollyanna" Whately just admitted, reading the report, the thought it was a far more serious issue than what has just transpired. Bingo!

The Minister for Justice has already admitted this morning that the report was designed primarily to put the frightners through everyone. That's a worthwhile admission, because now: 1. we understand why the language in the report is inconsistent, and in places, exaggerated; 2. we can be assured of extensive political interference; and 3. we can dismiss any doubts we initially had about it being a rubbish report.

Knowing the ACC, they don't make claims they can't back up. They just haven't shared the evidence with you and me. Be patient.

AD ruled the AFL out with regards to match fixing on 774 ABC radio on Friday

Reading through the report, quite clearly it doesn't take a lot for the ACC to throw around the descriptor: widespread.

out of the thousands of games played over the years, in the various football codes, we have identified one game that, 'possibly', is a candidate for match fixing. conclusion: match fixing is widespread in oz sport