Across Europe the phrase ‘match-fixing’ in football continues to develop itself as common terminology and now in our own backyard the problem has reared its ugly head in shocking circumstances.
A team that competes in the Victorian Premier League has orchestrated Australia’s largest match-fixing scandal.
The team in question, bottom-placed Southern Stars, have won just one match from a possible 21 and have a goal difference of minus 43.
Does this insinuate a much larger problem at hand?
Before the examination of a truly worrying incident in Australian sporting history, lets get the facts straight.
In short, this is a version of the events that have transpired.
The Victorian Police began a month ago after information from Swiss-based sports and betting data intelligence agency Sportradar came to light that was passed onto Football Federation Australia.
Six men have been charged, including the head coach and a goalkeeper.
The man at the centre of the controversy is 45-year-old Malaysian citizen, Gerry Gsubramaniam.
The Clayton South resident has been accused with acting as the team’s direct contact for the players of the Southern Stars.
Effectively, his role was to make contact with the players and give advice on how members of the team were to perform.
An out-of-sessions court hearing on Sunday night saw him charged with a total of 10 offences, including five of engaging in conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event.
With the aforementioned information in mind, what does this all mean for the National Premier League competitions and the A-League?
FFA chief executive David Gallop stated yesterday that the “integrity of football is paramount” and the FFA was “determined to keep football clean”.
Strong words from our country’s leading authoritative figure, and sentiment that must be resonated by those that are involved in sport at all levels.
The FFA have acted reacted to the situation with great aplomb, who alerted the police within 24 hours of the receiving an alert from Sportsradar.
However, pressing questions will be asked whether the FFA could have done more in conjunction with Football Federation Victoria to prevent such an act.
But in an environment with very little fanfare and public attention, one can recognise why the betting ring targeted a relatively small-scale team and competition.
It will no doubt raise serious concerns about whether this practice is widespread.
Could it potentially trigger a comprehensive investigation into any of the country’s leading sports?
Reserving judgment for now is imperative.
It’s no time to panic and suggest that crimes of this nature are being committed at the higher end of the scale, however, it won’t allay those fears that maybe this is only the beginning of a deep-rooted problem.
Overseas in Europe we have seen the game experience a bout of disrepute.
In late 2009 the problem began to surface, with no fewer than 200 games under match-fixing investigation, and it’s an issue that continues to raise alarm bells and threaten the very fabric of the game.
The Serie A endured the ignominy of match-fixing and more recently Turkish giants Fenerbache have been banned from two years of European competition and will experience a similar fate.
Disturbing examples but commonly dismissed as something that won’t affect our own local product, but regrettably it has now, regardless of the club’s stature.
With the A-League season just under a month away what implications, if any, will it have for the nation’s premier competition?
At the moment, the dust needs to settle and judicial action must run due course before any sweeping assumptions are made.
Naturally the media and authorities will be drawn to pushing for more assertive action in the higher reaches of the code.
But for now, one can only hope that when more comes to light that the integrity of the sport remains intact.
Caution for now and questions later.
MelbCro
Guest
don't see what you comment actually has to do with mine. I was responding to paddo's claim that the Stars lads are 'really good players'.
Post_hoc
Guest
His new wife (Chris Bath) might have something to do with his turn around on WSW and Football. She is a Western Sydney Girl (Greystanes) and is a long time Eels supporter, who also started following WSW. Like any good Hubby he knows the wife knows best LOL
Kasey
Guest
"But I believe she still does not like us. " quality use of understatement good sir:) WSW have built quite a few bridges in the Sydney media for our game, but the day I read a positive opinion piece regarding Sockah from that trollumnist trash-piece is surely the day hell has frozen over.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
The top issue of the ASADA and ACC reports on corruption in Australian sport was match fixing and gambling and they haven't even covered it yet or mentioned it yet in public, so the other codes are not going to mention the elephant in the room just yet or start throwing stones from their glass houses.
Justin Thighm
Roar Guru
SBS2 is proper HDTV and you'll get a better picture - same quality as the one on Foxtel, just a different commentator.
Lucas
Guest
Still happens today in Rugby League test matches.
Lucas
Guest
Together with jbinnie, consistently the most thoughtful and intelligent contributer to these forums
Lucas
Guest
Governments get upset about 'match fixing' and illegal betting scams because they are missing out on what they believe is their cut of the action and NOT from any moral objections!
C
Guest
Jim may have been a soccer hater but I believe he no longer is He has had some nice things to say about our game especially western Sydney wanderers He also seems to get on very well with his sister But I believe she still does not like us. :)
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Classic excuse. Maybe they just forgot to give you your pills at the old folks home.
Stavros
Guest
Regarding it being big news if it was another club, I'll take your word for it. I'm never belittling soccer, and never been banned, so you must have me confused with someone else. I don't run away, its just that I've got other things to do, so I wouldn't know whether someone has replied to my post or not. Haven't you got some homework to get on with?
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Because it's a VPL club that only got there for the first time int its history last year, if it were a South Melbourne or Marconi the news would be bigger. I'd never even heard of the club it was so obscure. Besides, you're constantly on here belittleing us at every point, we get it, we're not the most popular sport in Australia but we're still here despite knockers like you. Haven't you been banned several times? I love how you run away when you're beaten then come back with equally stupid rhetoric another day, psychology 101.
Stavros
Guest
How is that denigrating soccer. I made a comment that it wasn't even on the news, therefore the wider community doesn't really care about it.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Beaten at every turn again, thanks Davros and the VFL cheer squad, you've provided me with a few good laughs.
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
"This will all blow over soon enough. It wasn’t even on the news up here in Queensland. Soccer matches being fixed is no big deal, which says a lot about how the average Aussie views the game." Implying it's only a small deal in the wider view, because of your insular perspective.
Stavros
Guest
Kane - just show me one comment where I have denigrated soccer.
Bondy
Guest
Breaking news (http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/ffa-have-requested-fifa-provide-compensation-for-the-43m-spent-on-australias-world-cup-bid/story-fni2fopz-1226721002197). Compensation for the Fifa world Cup ..
Kane Cassidy
Roar Guru
Show me one comment ferom us and I'll show you 4 from Stavros, you don't seem to get too riled up about him being on here.
Australian Rules
Guest
Bondy, when a respected journalist is described as a (quote) "avowed sockah-hater"... I think it looks and sounds ridiculous. That has nothing whatsoever to do with Aussies Rules...let alone "defending it to the hilt". In fact, I criticised people yesterday for "hijacking" (as Fuss calls it) threads relating to the recent betting scandal, and using it as an opportunity to start inane code wars. I had previously commended the FFA for its actions. In fact, I'd be surprised if you could show me one post in which I've denigrated soccer or the ALeague. By contrast, I could show you plenty from Fuss, Titus, Kane, Allan etc when they're on the AFL tab. So rather than playing the man, try reading the content of the posts.
Jukes
Guest
@ Bondy I find it amazing the amount of times AFL supporters will come onto the football threads and hijack a topic. Obviously if there are issues that effect multiple sports and discussions invariably involve AFL then we are likely to see AFL Roarers on here. Fine, but remember your on the football tab not the AFL tab. When discussions don't involve AFL in the football tabs you rarely see a post from AFL Roarers. Similarly if I find myself on here I rarely ever go on the AFL tab even if your discussing football issues. Why? Well because it doesn't bother me, flame away all you want on the AFL tab. I would prefer to discuss football on the football tabs. If AFL is discussed on football at least post in the context of the posted topic. I do browse on the AFL tabs, I rarely post and that's because I prefer football. I have no desire to discuss football topics on the AFL tab.