IIn a blow to Australian football, three A-League players were arrested on Friday as part of a month-long investigation into alleged betting corruption.
In December 2023, New South Wales state police and the United Kingdom Gambling Commission began an investigation in alleged yellow card manipulation by players linked to a southwest Sydney club.
The investigation revealed a shocking scheme: a senior player allegedly received instructions from a South American contact to organize yellow cards during specific games in exchange for illicit profits.
On a Press conference, NSW Police Assistant. Commissioner Michael Fitzgerald said one player paid “junior” players up to 10,000 Australian dollars (more than $6,500) in exchange for receiving yellow cards, adding that “police will allege that that senior figure within that criminal group was acting under the instruction and direction of an organized crime figure currently offshore in South America.”
In Friday’s police operations, three players from one team were arrested, aged between 33, 32 and 27 years old. Australian Broadcasting Corporation has already named the team MacArthur FC and said captain Ulises Dávila, 33, a Mexican national, was arrested in South Coogee.
“We took action today because we were concerned that the principles involved in this issue may have left our shores in the coming days and weeks,” Fitzgerald added at the press conference. There is no evidence, he said, that players from other clubs were involved, but a fourth player who was out of state during Friday’s arrests is wanted for questioning.
Macarthur FC said in a statement to TIME that the club was “shocked” by the arrests, although it did not confirm the identities of the players. “The integrity of our game is a fundamental pillar and we will work closely with all relevant agencies on this matter,” the club said.
Police say the 33-year-old man faces two counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts the outcome of an event bet and two counts of facilitating conduct that corrupts the outcome of an event bet. The other two players will be charged with engaging in conduct that corrupts the outcome of an event bet.
The arrested players are expected to appear in court, likely for a bail hearing, on Friday afternoon, Football Australia said in a statement to TIME.
Authorities believe the alleged scheme targeted matches on November 24, 2023 and December 9, 2023. Other alleged attempts to influence yellow cards in games played on April 20 and May 4, 2024 were unsuccessful, the official added. police.
The investigation into the alleged scheme – and into other possible forms of corruption involving match-fixing and sports betting – is ongoing, with the New South Wales Police Organized Crime Squad collaborating with several agencies, including the Australian Intelligence Commission. Criminal, Sports Integrity Australia, Football Australia and the Australian Professional Leagues.
“It is extremely regrettable that the actions of just a few people have seriously damaged the integrity of a game that so many people around the world love and that so many people are passionate about,” Detective Superintendent Peter Faux said at Friday’s news conference about the arrests. -fair. . “These people are fortunate to be in a position where, in some cases, they are paid a lot of money to do something they love and, unfortunately, their [alleged] actions – they took advantage of this position and brought down the integrity of not only themselves and the club they play for, but, unfortunately, the sport.
This story originally appeared on Time.com read the full story
