Ten people have been arrested in a multi-million dollar match-fixing scandal that has rocked Australian soccer.
Victorian police made the arrests after executing search warrants, with all the players and staff arrested believed to be from bottom-placed Victorian Premier League club Southern Stars FC.
Police said many of the players arrested were from the United Kingdom and playing in Australia in their off-season.
They said they would be looking to prosecute members of an overseas syndicate, believed to have been operating throughout Europe.
The police operation began in August following information received from Football Federation Australia about irregular betting patterns and unusual results.
There were estimated betting winnings in Australia and overseas of more than $2 million identified in connection with the alleged match-fixing ring, police said.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said it was the biggest case of alleged match-fixing in Australian sports history.
“This is the first case we’ve uncovered of this level of match-fixing in Australia,” said Ashton, who warned that Australia was susceptible to international match fixing.
“Further match-fixing risks are imminent in Australia, partly because of localised overseas betting on Australian sporting events due to our favourable time zone,” Ashton said.
“It is vital that we continue gathering intelligence to take preventative action to make it difficult for organised crime to infiltrate our sporting codes.
He added: “We hope this sends the message that we’re not a soft touch… we’ll be onto it.”
The Southern Stars have played 21 matches this season for 16 losses and four draws, with their only win a 1-0 victory over top-placed club Northcote City last month.
Those arrested are expected to face match-fixing charges, which can attract a 10-year maximum penalty.
FFA CEO David Gallop welcomed the investigation relating to suspicious betting activity and welcomed the investigation by the Sports Integrity Intelligence Unit within the force.
“The integrity of football is paramount,” said Gallop.
“We provided information to Victoria Police within 24 hours of receiving an alert from our international betting integrity monitoring agents Sportradar, who then worked closely with the investigation team.
“The arrests today show that the integrity measures put in place by FFA are working to detect illegal betting activity.
“We’re determined to keep football clean. Alongside other sports bodies in Australia and globally, we must eradicate corrupt behaviour from sport.”
In addition to the criminal proceedings in Victoria, FFA will charge the people arrested today under FFA’s National Code of Conduct.
They will face a range of sanctions including life bans from football which would apply worldwide.
Tommy
Guest
What will be ‘truely shameful’ is when the AFL, NRL, News Ltd and the entire Murdoch clan run for the hills when the upcoming tsunami wave of alzheimers disease and other early on-set dementia insurance claim cases from ex NRL & AFL players start to arrive from the players lawyers! It’s happened with Gridiron and IT’S coming to a collision sport near you, my friends! In fact, it’s already begun, with ex NRL players such as Kevin Hastings and many others reporting their premature senility problems were directly caused from repeated head concussions from playing in sanctioned collision sports! The day of FINAL reckoning for collision sports is rapidly approaching.
bemused
Guest
How did a story on illegal betting on soccer get turned into a chance to have a go at another code?
Bondy
Guest
Cattery stop this.
Paddo
Roar Rookie
How do we know that ?.
c
Guest
BIGGEST sporting scandal ever in Australia - which is worse this or efc / nrl drugs? at least we have acted decisively and immediately and honestly not like those others :)
Paddo
Roar Rookie
Indeed, soccer is very susceptible to corruption and match fixing.
Mazzalenko
Guest
That chip on your shoulder must be obscuring your view or maybe you are choosing to be so ignorant. I say good on the FFA for acting and telling the Vic Pol. However for the Vic Pol and Vic meda to beat it up and say its the "darkest day in Aus sport" says it all, it is not that bad and chances are it wont be involving any A-League teams, however both Vic Pol and their mates at HS were all over this like a bad rash asap. "Quick quick those sokhah boys are shooing themselves in the foot again, lets get them on the front pages to make our readers forget about peptides, lets apply the blow torch to them"
dasilva
Guest
I didn't say it was match fixing rather his behaviour brought suspicion of match fixing over the game and hence brought the game to disrepute. What I said was that he brought the game to disrepute and he tarred the reputation of MV and his team match by bringing by betting against his side and winning the bet. Him betting tarnish the reputation of his team mates because suspicion arrises whether the "MVFC lads were in on the bet" as his prediction of the result and goal margin were suspiciously accurate. That's why I believe the suspension was too lenient. Although I think saying "He wouldn’t have a clue about the quality of the opposition" isn't true. He is part of the squad and would have sat in team meetings and watch video analysis of the opponent. He just wasn't picked to the final squad that toured Thailand. I think all members of the team train together and attend the same team meeting. In any case the link Ian W posted, Olympic FC’s player who bet on pre-season match and bet on their own team for winning the match and were suspended for 4 match which was similar penalty to Brebner. Surely betting against your own team (also in a higher profile A-league compared to the state league) should get a harsher sentence?
mahonjt
Guest
If it does and we do, it's because the FFA is doing its job very well. It won't be because of the police, government or competition with provincial sports administrators. Football, given its scale and scope will always be susceptible, but minimising the risks will be for football - not the provincial thinking haters of the worlds game or their media mates.
mahonjt
Guest
That's exactly how Sportsradar works? The FFA have had an integrity unit for a few years, but the addition of this huge, well respected firm has clearly paid dividends. They and their client (FFA) were well ahead of the cops and governments.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@dasilva So, Brebs didn't play & wasn't even in the same country as the match that he placed a bet? He wouldn't have a clue about the quality of the opposition. That's hardly match-fixing ... unless all the other MVFC lads were in on the bet. At worst Brebs is guilty of being stupid.
dasilva
Guest
Brebner didn't play in the match and wasn't part of the squad that was in Thailand which was probably his saving grace from an extended suspension However the fact that he had inside information as a member of the club and accurately bet on the margin and the result of the match against his team makes him and the match highly suspect. Even if there was no fixing, he brought the game to disrepute for putting the match fixing spectre over the game and his team mates and should of have the book thrown at him in terms of penalties.
SVB
Guest
ZING!
Punter
Guest
Quick, ban all soccer games in Australia now & only play sports free of betting & drug issues!!!!! Act now!!!!!
Paddo
Roar Rookie
All sports may be succeptible, but some are easier to corrupt and fix than others.
Paddo
Roar Rookie
No doubt, there was plenty of suspicion of this happening before, or possibly even evidence. That would be the real reason for this so called investment.. This story may have plenty more legs left yet, hopefully we get the real truth.
gawa
Guest
The only reason this has come to light is because the FFA spent their own money on employing a world leader in this field of expertise. Considering how tight the purse strings are at FFA HQ this is would have a been a pretty major investment. Not only that but within 24hrs of being alerted FFA went to the police, they didn't go to the club in question or their gimps in the media to begin some kind of PR spinning. Nor have the FFA renamed match fixing as something more fluffy and innocent sounding. Lifetime bans from every aspect of football worldwide and hopefully lengthy jail terms for sny found guilty.
Midfielder
Guest
Arguably the biggest issue IMO is the total lack of knowledge by the police... If reports are true and they are backed up by police statements...FFA signed a contract with a watch service ... when advised took the information to the police... then the watch service assisted police [ I think made their case] .... Why have the police not got these contracts...
JonJax
Guest
All sports are susceptible to this activity. I was at the SCG when Australia played Pakistan in the second Cricket test, January 2010 and couldn’t believe the result....Still don’t!
Paddo
Roar Rookie
Well, you have heard of them now, it is the biggest match fixing in Australian sporting history, and it does make you wonder how deep it does go, soccer is very open to match fixing, it is quite shameful.