Annual Fixed Matches Report 2014

Paully D

Here is the Annual Fixed Matches report 2014, compiled by Federbet and presented to the European Parliament today. It lists games that have suspicions of being fixed during the 2013-2014 season.

13 UK games have been listed, although one would have to imagine that there's many more that haven't arose suspicion. Even at "just" 13, that's more than anywhere else in Europe, which really is damning.

http://federbet.com/media/Federbet_report_v3.pdf

The Telegraph report that a total of 460 matches were either identified as being fixed or had suspicions, and that's up 20% from 2012-2013.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/10873585/England-had-worst-record-for-match-fixing-this-season-says-betting-firm-Federbet.html

Federbet, which is based in Brussels, accused football’s authorities of failing to do enough to tackle match-fixing after finding the number of rigged fixtures across Europe rose sharply in 2013-14.

Including several Champions League and Europa League ties, 110 matches were identified as having been fixed, with suspicions over a further 350. The total of 460 possibly-fixed matches was up 20 per cent from the previous year, Federbet said.

Its general secretary, Francesco Baranca, added: “Every day, all around the world, there is an attempt at match-fixing. And this virus is getting bigger and bigger.”

The red-flagged Champions League and Europa League ties were all from the qualifying rounds, with the highest-profile match rigged found to be Catania v Atalanta in Serie A.

Other matches in Italy were also identified, as well as several in France, Portugal, Greece and Ukraine.

Baranca warned that the problem was so widespread that the World Cup itself was under threat from those who had already been corrupted. “It is not so impossible that when they have learned to fix the match during the domestic competition they are also going to fix the match in the international competition,” he said. “We can solve this problem in quite an easy way but nobody wants to solve it. Federations are not listening to us, Uefa is not listening to us.”

European lawmaker Marc Tarabella, who backed the report, called for a response from sporting and political authorities alike. He claimed that national football federations “often hesitate to back a complaint for fear that it might tarnish their competitions”, and called for harsher penalties.

Tarabella said Fifa had “heard the arguments of the European parliament and will have throughout the next World Cup strict controls in finances around each match”.

The Federbet report was published a week after the Telegraph revealed the National Crime Agency had asked Fifa to issue an alert over Nigeria’s World Cup warm-up friendly against Scotland in London.

A Nigerian football agent was subsequently caught on camera claiming he could arrange yellow cards and penalties in his country’s matches in Brazil for a fee of up to £81,000.

In November, the Telegraph exposed the biggest alleged match-fixing scandal in England for decades, helping prompt the then Culture Secretary to call an emergency meeting of the country’s sporting bodies.

Prior to that, English football had been considered by some to have become largely immune from fixing due to the spiralling wages paid to players in the Premier League era. But recent scandals have acted as wake-up call that it is as vulnerable as anywhere.

The World Cup, meanwhile, promises to be the most scrutinised tournament in history when it comes to suspicious betting activity. Fifa, which is still dealing with the fallout from warm-up games that were allegedly rigged prior to the 2010 tournament in South Africa, will also deliver mandatory integrity sessions to all 32 competing teams in Brazil.

The_Kew_Tour

It would make it better if we knew the prices at the beginning of the game.

If the fixed result on home win where team is 1/4 then it's not big deal, however if it were 2/1 then that raises eyebrows.

It needs to show far more detail.

Shanotheslayer

Italian league Serie B. That Cittadella V Empoli game was a stonewall fix. Watched it, was ridiculous and also the last game of the season was fixed for Draw for Cittadella. Palmero last game of season was also a fix for draw. Odds before game was 1/2 and 4/9 draw. Palmero were 2/1 to win at home after having such a strong record all season.

eagle eye

There were a couple of games I watched last season that I would call suspect like some of the Swansea Europa league games where there were injury time goals. Some awfully strange things happened at the end of two of their games.

There was a Monday game between Real Betis and Malaga where it seemed to me that suddenly Betis turned from having a decent performance to horrendous in a very short space of time. I'd call that one highly suspect. They even got a penalty late on that they blasted over the bar.

Things like this have been going on for years. The difference these days is that gambling has reached a completely different level and everything is now under the microscope. There will be instances where there is nothing going on but because its being watched by so many people there will be accusations.

dfx-

Shanotheslayer wrote: »

Italian league Serie B. That Cittadella V Empoli game was a stonewall fix. Watched it, was ridiculous and also the last game of the season was fixed for Draw for Cittadella. Palmero last game of season was also a fix for draw. Odds before game was 1/2 and 4/9 draw. Palmero were 2/1 to win at home after having such a strong record all season.

These statements need proof.

Please be careful not to make such statements of fact if or when you do not have proof.

Shanotheslayer

dfx- wrote: »

These statements need proof.

Please be careful not to make such statements of fact if or when you do not have proof.

Apologies. If I add in my opinion is that ok?

losthorizon

Good to see no Irish teams involved.

Although I have seen other reports by UEFA listing other Eastern European nations that are not mentioned there.

Cant find the links now.:o

Paully D

eagle eye wrote: »

There was a Monday game between Real Betis and Malaga where it seemed to me that suddenly Betis turned from having a decent performance to horrendous in a very short space of time. I'd call that one highly suspect. They even got a penalty late on that they blasted over the bar.

Sunderland did that almost every week for 30 odd weeks :pac:

The lads on the gambling forum are good at spotting what they think are fixed games and have called quite a few correctly

SteelyDanJalapeno

rarnes1 wrote: »

The lads on the gambling forum are good at spotting what they think are fixed games and have called quite a few correctly

It's pretty easy to spot some if you look for the correct signs, seen a friendly game last week being played in eastern Europe 0 - 0 after 30 minutes, with odds of over 1.5 1st half goals 4/5 and over 3.5 match goals had been taking quite a hammering before kick off too, going from 1/1 into 8/13.

2 - 0 ht score and 4 - 4 ft score.