Corruption!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match-fixing: Champions League tie played in England 'was fixed'
A Champions League tie played in England is one of 380 matches across Europe investigators say was fixed.
European police did not reveal the identity of the match they believe was corrupt in England.
But Europol did say that they had uncovered an organised crime syndicate based in Asia that was co-ordinating the operation.
Some 425 match officials, club officials, players and criminals are suspected of being involved.
At a news conference in The Hague, Netherlands, Europol claimed:


The fixed Champions League tie in England took place in "last three or four years";
The identity of that match cannot be revealed due to "ongoing judicial proceedings";
Other "corrupt" matches included World Cup and European Championship qualifiers and "several top football matches in European leagues";
In Germany-based matches alone, criminals wagered £13.8m (16m euros) on rigged matches and made £6.9m in profits
Officials fear this is as the "tip of the iceberg".

Rob Wainwright, director of Europol - the European Union's law enforcement agency, said: "This is the work of a suspected organised crime syndicate based in Asia and operated with criminal networks around Europe.
"It is clear to us this is the biggest-ever investigation into suspected match-fixing in Europe. It has yielded major results which we think have uncovered a big problem for the integrity of football in Europe.
"We have uncovered an extensive criminal network."

Europol, which has been investigating for 18 months, said suspected matches included World Cup and European Championship qualifiers, two Champions League ties and "several top football matches in European leagues".
In addition to the £13.8m wagered on Germany-based matches, payments of £1.73m are thought to have been paid to those involved. The biggest payment to an individual was £121,000, according to investigators.
Europol believes a crime syndicate based in Asia was liaising with criminal networks throughout Europe. It believes match-fixing has taken place in 15 countries and 50 people have so far been arrested.
Asked specifically about the allegations surrounding the Champions League tie held in England, Wainwright declined to identify the match because of "ongoing judicial proceedings".
However he did say it happened in the last three to four years, before adding: "The focus has been on other countries, not the United Kingdom. However we were surprised by the scale generally of the criminal enterprise and just how widespread it was.
"It would be naive and complacent of those in the UK to think such a criminal conspiracy does not involve the English game and all the football in Europe."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21319807

I think I could've guessed what match in England it would've been had they not say it took place within the last three-four years (how can they not know?).

[Marc Overmars]

Football. :rose:

[LDG]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21319807

I think I could've guessed what match in England it would've been had they not say it took place within the last three-four years (how can they not know?).

Chelsea v Barca?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nah, I was thinking Liverpool vs Besiktas. It could be Chelsea vs Barca but I don't think the performance was that bad, as history has written it was.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Europol identified this Olympic qualifier between Argentina & Bolivia as one of the suspicious matches http://t.co/RK1xJ5wk @mattslaterbbc 30 minutes ago

Among the 380 dodgy games, is a CL tie played in Eng since '09; Europol says scale of criminality involved is at a new level @mattslaterbbc 37 minutes ago

Europol recap: 380 suspicious games in Europe since '09, 300 more elsewhere, club & country, 425 suspects from 15 countries arrested @mattslaterbbc 39 minutes ago

Armstrong wasn't in the headlines for long. :lol:

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

:faint:

Actually it's not that surprising.

[Marc Overmars]

The only thing that springs to mind is Chelsea vs Barca but that's only because there was so much coverage of what happened.

The crooks must have done a good job.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Is it that the result has actually been fixed or just that there would be a foul throw before 25 minutes or something obscure like that, which had no real effect on anything important?

Actually given the scale it's probably both.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think these things tend to escalate - once you do something like 'spotfixing', those who have arranged won't let you go without doing more and more.

[Niall_Quinn]

Doubt it's the Chav/ Barca match - too blatant. That was just severe incompetence. This will be hard to define stuff, like letting one team get away with niggly fouls so they gain an overall advantage. It would be hard to prove on a single match basis and you'd have to look at betting patterns, referees and results over a period of time - like stock market rigging.

I have no doubt EUFA and FIFA are at the heart of this. If you are going to have overtly criminal scum running the game then it will attract all sorts of flies and maggots. Disbanding both these rotten organisations would be a good first step to tackling the corruption and returning football to a sporting status rather than a money circus.

Also, if you are going to let gangsters like Abramovich or thieves like the arabs at city into the game, what do you expect? Of course there will be corruption, this is what these people do. People can stick their heads in the sand and fire up the racist recorded message all they want, but take a look at how these scumbags obtained their wealth and then say they have suddenly changed now they are involved in sport and don't be surprised if you are called naive. Same with our own trash Usmanov, but people are blinded by the cash and don't want to look at the man.

There's this bullshit argument about football clubs as "toys" or a route to respectability. Maybe. But more likely it's about the money, right? Look at city's dodgy sponsorship - how much cash has been laundered through that club already? Football is an ideal laundry and a simple way to move cash across borders. Every major corporation is at it and they are being caught over and over again but nothing is done about it. Goldman Sachs, caught about 10 times in the last decade for major global fraud. They are still in business and still walking through the revolving door in and out of government. What do governments focus on instead? Tax. They want their cut regardless of where the loot came from.

It's actually quite surprising football is clean in any respect.

[Dennis Bendtner]

Arsenal Liverpool, Dennis Bendtner stopping an Arsenal shot on the goal line. This explains it.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Kuyt's neighbour :bow:

And of course there was the penalty you should have had, and the one we probably shouldn't :ninja:

Fuck it, I'm off to find a video of it...

[Niall_Quinn]

Arsenal Liverpool, Dennis Bendtner stopping an Arsenal shot on the goal line. This explains it.

The syndicates would be relying on Bendtner to get something right - that's real gambling and very long odds.

[Arsenal Fan]

If its betting then I think it may be some obscure un interesting game.

If its match fixing then surely Barca will be involved.

[Power n Glory]

We're my comments about Rosicky deleted? Makes me more suspicious of a scandal now! :lol:

But it had to be that Chelsea game. Biggest scandal I've seen in football.

[Niall_Quinn]

We're my comments about Rosicky deleted? Makes me more suspicious of a scandal now! :lol:

But it had to be that Chelsea game. Biggest scandal I've seen in football.

Agreed on the Rosicky/ Dowd thing. That should have been investigated. Why would rumours like that suddenly pop-up? It's not like Dowd hasn't been shit in other games - it's his MO.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I always suspected MO.

[Marc Overmars]

The organised crime syndicate is also known to dabble in the outcome of online quizzes.

:ninja:

[Maestro]

Doubt it's the Chav/ Barca match - too blatant. That was just severe incompetence. This will be hard to define stuff, like letting one team get away with niggly fouls so they gain an overall advantage. It would be hard to prove on a single match basis and you'd have to look at betting patterns, referees and results over a period of time - like stock market rigging.

I have no doubt EUFA and FIFA are at the heart of this. If you are going to have overtly criminal scum running the game then it will attract all sorts of flies and maggots. Disbanding both these rotten organisations would be a good first step to tackling the corruption and returning football to a sporting status rather than a money circus.

Also, if you are going to let gangsters like Abramovich or thieves like the arabs at city into the game, what do you expect? Of course there will be corruption, this is what these people do. People can stick their heads in the sand and fire up the racist recorded message all they want, but take a look at how these scumbags obtained their wealth and then say they have suddenly changed now they are involved in sport and don't be surprised if you are called naive. Same with our own trash Usmanov, but people are blinded by the cash and don't want to look at the man.

There's this bullshit argument about football clubs as "toys" or a route to respectability. Maybe. But more likely it's about the money, right? Look at city's dodgy sponsorship - how much cash has been laundered through that club already? Football is an ideal laundry and a simple way to move cash across borders. Every major corporation is at it and they are being caught over and over again but nothing is done about it. Goldman Sachs, caught about 10 times in the last decade for major global fraud. They are still in business and still walking through the revolving door in and out of government. What do governments focus on instead? Tax. They want their cut regardless of where the loot came from.

It's actually quite surprising football is clean in any respect.

agree totally with that, been happening for years

you might enjoy this NQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1VBawGN85Y

[LDG]

I have made an in depth investigation this afternoon, and after much deliberation, there is only one name that stuck out like a sore prick.

'Arry.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

Some Danish paper is apparently convinced that it was our game with Debrecen, the game in England.

They say the Debrecen keeper was paid to ensure he conceded more than 2.5 goals.

We scored 1 :haha:

[Dennis Bendtner]

I just saw that. Gerrard missed some easy chances and pissed the fixers off, supposedly. :bow:

[Injury Time]

Should've noticed when Grobbelaar was the new Liverpool "Director of Football" tbf.

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

if there was one ref you'd suspect of being corrupt in the premier league, who would it be?

[Injury Time]

if there was one ref you'd suspect of being corrupt in the premier league, who would it be?

Does GW have a lawyer?

[She Wore A Yellow Ribbon]

i dont think you can get in trouble. loads of people on social media sites like twitter have been suggesting names. too many people for them to do anything about it surely.

[Injury Time]

i dont think you can get in trouble. loads of people on social media sites like twitter have been suggesting names. too many people for them to do anything about it surely.
Depends if the alleged has enough money, given the high profile case of the Lord suing all those that posted about him on Twitter I would be careful...although if GW is in Letters name... ;)

[Ollie the Optimist]

if there was one ref you'd suspect of being corrupt in the premier league, who would it be?

The one who reffed pizza gate game at old Trafford. That display of riffing was the worst I have ever seen

[Niall_Quinn]

The one who reffed pizza gate game at old Trafford. That display of riffing was the worst I have ever seen

Yep - has anyone done the stats on that guy? It might be easier to list the refs that aren't corrupt.

[Niall_Quinn]

agree totally with that, been happening for years

you might enjoy this NQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1VBawGN85Y

Thanks for that. Hadn't seen that so stayed up last night and had a watch. Powerful stuff.

Could never, ever happen in Europe though. Never.

[GP]

Yep - has anyone done the stats on that guy? It might be easier to list the refs that aren't corrupt.

I've already made that list.








Do you think that's all of them?

[Özil's Panoramic View]

Memories, anyone?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mM747L9Wf8M

And to think this fellow is now incharge of refereeing in the EPL, just scandalous.


*edit* link sorted.

[GP]

your link doesn't work

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mM747L9Wf8M

[Marc Overmars]

Reyes. :rose:

[Niall_Quinn]

I've already made that list.








Do you think that's all of them?

That's pretty comprehensive. It'll take a while to check and get back to you, but looking good so far.

[GP]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=mM747L9Wf8M

To this day I don't understand why Ferdinand wasn't sent off.

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

To this day I don't understand why Ferdinand wasn't sent off.
You must have gone there expecting a fierce approach?

[Marc Overmars]

You must have gone there expecting a fierce approach?

I'd rather they treat us like that again, instead of the niceties that get exchanged now.

Wenget. :doh:

[Niall_Quinn]

To this day I don't understand why Ferdinand wasn't sent off.

Surprisingly that was only Riley's second most corrupt performance.


http://youtu.be/4i5KjchN3I8?t=36s

[IBK]

To this day I don't understand why Ferdinand wasn't sent off.

Ouch that stings!

[Shaqiri Is Boss]

I'd rather they treat us like that again, instead of the niceties that get exchanged now.

Wenget. :doh:
I bet Reyes wouldn't.

[GP]

Ouch that stings!

Both Neville's should have gone as well. And the horse faced prick.

Utter disgrace, that day.

[cricketsi]

RVC getting sent off for kicking the ball one second after the whistle was blown was as dodgy as anything I can remember in our games.

I wonder if he had anything to say to Rio about his defence of that referee (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1364485/Rio-Ferdinand-Robin-van-Persie-red-card-referee-best-world.html#axzz2K3sisjn5) when he arrived at Old Trafford.

[Power n Glory]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21393156


Arsene Wenger calls for blood tests to find dopers in football

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he has asked Uefa several times to consider using blood tests to find dopers in football.
Uefa uses urine samples as part of its current doping controls.
Wenger thinks these measures are not strict enough to catch drugs cheats.
He said: "I don't think we do enough, because it is very difficult for me to believe that you have 740 players in the World Cup and you come out with zero problems."
"Mathematically that happens every time, but statistically, even for social drugs, it looks like we could do better and go deeper," he added.
"When you have a doping control at Uefa, they do not take blood, they take only urine. I have asked many times (at Uefa meetings) in Geneva (for that to be changed)."
The Arsenal boss says that the governing bodies in the sport are prepared to make changes to doping controls but that it may be difficult because of "ethical problems".
He said: "Uefa is ready to do it, but it poses some ethical problems because everyone has to accept that they will check the blood and not everybody is ready to do that."

He is on the money with this one. I wouldn't be surprised if some players are doping. No blood tests and only urine samples in this day and age? Considering the scandal involved with Boxing and Lance Armstrong, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the world's best are doping just so they can stay in peak condition all year round and injury free. It's a bit of a shocker and I'm guessing UEFA and Fifa don't want to act on it because the scandal would rock a lot of clubs and players.

[Niall_Quinn]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/21393156



He is on the money with this one. I wouldn't be surprised if some players are doping. No blood tests and only urine samples in this day and age? Considering the scandal involved with Boxing and Lance Armstrong, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the world's best are doping just so they can stay in peak condition all year round and injury free. It's a bit of a shocker and I'm guessing UEFA and Fifa don't want to act on it because the scandal would rock a lot of clubs and players.

Plus they probably sell them the drugs in the first place, the corrupt bunch of shits that they are.