Two men charged over interstate soccer match-fixing bid
Savannah Meacham |
Two men accused of approaching soccer players in an alleged case of attempted interstate match-fixing for financial gain have been bailed after court appearances.
Queensland police extradited the men, aged 55 and 45, from Sydney and charged them after an investigation into attempted sports match fixing of Gold Coast soccer games.
On May 12 and June 20, two employees of an offshore investment group acted as “player agents” and approached a soccer player at a Coomera address on the Gold Coast in a “co-ordinated effort” to match fix in exchange for payment, police said.
Match fixing is the act of deliberately manipulating the outcome of a sports event for illicit financial gain, often involving betting or bribery.
Detective Chief Inspector Melissa Anderson said there was no evidence that a game was compromised but it was an attempt at match-fixing.
Police became aware of the attempt after Football Australia made a complaint.
“Police have received a complaint, certainly in relation to players being approached, that referral has come through our supporting agencies that we work in collaboration with,” Det Anderson told reporters.
NSW police searched homes in Sydney’s Mosman and Mount Colah on Tuesday before Queensland detectives travelled to NSW to seek the two men’s extradition.
The men have been charged with one count each of procuring a person to engage in match-fixing pecuniary benefit.
Gold Coast United welcomed the prosecution, saying the integrity of the games was of paramount importance.
“We stand firmly against any conduct that undermines fair play,” a spokesman said.
No Gold Coast United managers, players or coaching and operational staff are under investigation, the club said.
“The club has been fully cooperating with authorities throughout their investigations,” the spokesman said.
“We will continue to work closely with governing bodies to protect our players.”
It is too early to say whether further charges will be laid for other people domestically or internationally, Det Anderson said.
“People might think that it’s a bit of a lark that goes on behind the scenes of a sporting event, but it is actually a criminal offence in Queensland, and it does have some quite significant penalties,” she said.
“Match fixing is a serious criminal offence that undermines the integrity of sport and erodes public confidence in the fairness of our games.”
Football Australia said it reported the matter to police after it became aware of the allegations on June 23 but declined to comment further.
The men faced Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday and were granted bail.
AAP
