SA to host conference on match-fixing

South Africa will host the workshop from 25 – 26 August. It will be the first of its kind in Africa.

Countries affiliated to the Council of Southern African Football Associations (Cosafa) – Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe – will take part in the event to be held in Johannesburg.

Michaela Ragg (head of Interpols’ Integrity in Sport unit), Ralf Mutschke (Director of Fifa’s Security Division) and Detlev Zenglein (from Fifa’s Early Warning System programme) are expected to make presentations during the workshop.

The participants will also examine the global match-fixing picture, and will also be given detailed insights into how match fixing syndicates operate.

“With billions of dollars involved and more importantly the very reputation of sport itself at stake, it is vital that law enforcement presents a united front in not only ¬fighting this type of crime but to ensure that everyone involved from the rank and ¬file, official to the star player, is given the resources and training to counter the corrupt influences of transnational organized crime,” Interpol Secretary General Ronald Noble says in a statement.

Match-fixing has become prevalent in Southern Africa, where Asian underground betting syndicates have been targeting players and officials.

Zimbabwe is currently dealing with the “Asiagate” match-fixing scandal which resulted in players allegedly taking bribes to throw friendly matches between 2007 and 2009 in Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Match-fixing allegations have also surfaces in countries such as China, USA, Italy and South Korea.