SkStu
09/07/2010, 5:38 PM
was browsing the BBC website this morning here and came across this article relating to Nigeria and possible match fixing.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8805137.stm
This is not the first i had heard about match fixing possibilities at this World Cup. On the Score here where they do a really good WC show every night, they have run at least 2, possibly 3, interviews with Declan Hill the author of "The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime ". He had spoken at length about the likelihood of match fixing going on this year and went into the history and major players involved, including Ante Sopina. These guys are being wined and dined by the highest authorities in FIFA and basically he outlined how it works.
They target the weaker and "third world" teams - Honduras, the african teams etc - on the premise that these guys are not big earners and the lure of a big payday coupled with the fact that they have little to lose means that often times a player or a few players (not to mention) referees can be bribed to throw a game, get booked, score an og, basically anything that you can bet on.
The further into the competition a team goes the likelihood of fixing dwindles to zero.
He's an interesting guy and he comes across as very genuine so much so that i found myself looking out for dodgy games.
Did anyone else hear about this or read his book? Anyone notice anything suspicious during the games (Rob Green vs. USA obviously springs to mind :D)? Nothing game-wise stood out for me apart from the fact that some of those red cards were very questionable... its possible?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8805137.stm
This is not the first i had heard about match fixing possibilities at this World Cup. On the Score here where they do a really good WC show every night, they have run at least 2, possibly 3, interviews with Declan Hill the author of "The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime ". He had spoken at length about the likelihood of match fixing going on this year and went into the history and major players involved, including Ante Sopina. These guys are being wined and dined by the highest authorities in FIFA and basically he outlined how it works.
They target the weaker and "third world" teams - Honduras, the african teams etc - on the premise that these guys are not big earners and the lure of a big payday coupled with the fact that they have little to lose means that often times a player or a few players (not to mention) referees can be bribed to throw a game, get booked, score an og, basically anything that you can bet on.
The further into the competition a team goes the likelihood of fixing dwindles to zero.
He's an interesting guy and he comes across as very genuine so much so that i found myself looking out for dodgy games.
Did anyone else hear about this or read his book? Anyone notice anything suspicious during the games (Rob Green vs. USA obviously springs to mind :D)? Nothing game-wise stood out for me apart from the fact that some of those red cards were very questionable... its possible?