FIFA’s head of security, Englishman Chris Eaton yesterday warned that players lives could well be at risk if they engage in match fixing.
“In any exposure to organized crime lives are at risk, these people are ruthless and we need to have some process in place to protect people who expose them.”
Mr. Eaton talking to the BBC said that there was no evidence of match fixing in the top leagues around the world but admitted that FIFA needed ‘good risk and threat assessment against us, despite the fact that we have no evidence we can’t relax.”
The question was raised about the lower leagues in Italy and Britain being targeted as well as lesser league competitions around the world and Mr. Eaton conceded that these were more likely to be targeted. A case in point being the Korean K League that was rocked by its worst scandal last year, which saw 50 players, arrested, 10 of whom received life bans for match fixing.
With betting becoming a major part of the Australian sporting landscape could the Hyundai A League be high on the list of league’s being targeted?
Whether it is or it isn’t it would be interesting to hear what precautions are being taken by the game’s governing body in relation to being one step ahead of those trying to make a quick buck from the game.
