Samuel Eto’o, a globally recognizable soccer player with an extensive career, was appointed to the role of president of the Cameroon Football Federation, Fecafoot, near the end of 2021. The outstanding athlete with a lustrous career has played for England, Italy and Spain and has four African Player of the Year Awards along with two Africa Cup of Nations Titles while with Cameroon, among other recognitions and awards.

Despite his achievements and extensive career in the sport, Eto’o was tangled in a scandal with claims related to abuse of power, match-fixing and even threats of violence against people who did not agree with his intentions, a newly released report claims. On Wednesday, The Athletic announced it received a wide range of alleged evidence, including letters, emails, WhatsApp messages and sound recordings accusing Fecafoot’s president of the aforementioned unlawful activities.

Reportedly, the information was supplied by Henry Njalla Quan Junior, Fecafoot’s former vice president. The aforementioned details were also sent to FIFA’s Ethics Committee last summer, while an investigation into the matter by Africa’s football federation, CAF, is reportedly ongoing.

Previously, CAF confirmed that it is investigating different claims against Fecafoot’s president. Despite that, according to The Athletic, while CAF continues to investigate this matter, Eto’o is “presumed to be innocent until an appropriate judicial body concludes otherwise.”

Allegations about Match-Fixing, Favoritism

Some of the supplied messages, audio recordings and emails by Njalla Quan Junior are indirect or anonymous. Notably, the former Fecafoot vice president alleged that Eto’o was involved in match-fixing activities. According to the data supplied by Njalla Quan Junior, one of the match-fixing incidents involved a team he owns, Njalla Quan Sports Academy (NQSA).

He claimed that NQSA’s match against Kumba City FC was orchestrated by Eto’o. Njalla Quan Junior said that the aforementioned match was “the most scandalous… in the history of mankind,” claiming that Eto’o provided instructions to referees via a phone that was on speaker during the half-time of the first leg.

Supporting his claims, Njalla Quan Junior said that they were based on discussions with an anonymous third party. After the two legs, Kumba City FC ultimately won against NQSA with a score of 3-1.

Additionally, Njalla Quan Junior alleged that Valentine Nkwain, the owner of Victoria United, was given assurances by Eto’o that his team would be promoted to a higher division. In a recording, Eto’o allegedly promised that “there are things” that can be done for Nkwain’s team. Victoria United went on to win 11 out of their 17 matches, actions that ultimately bumped the team to the first division.

Eto’o has previously denied any wrongdoing. Yet, the ongoing investigations and the serious accusations put Fecafoot’s president in a difficult position.

The post Soccer: Samuel Eto’o Faces Allegations of Match-Fixing, Threats appeared first on Keno Wizard.

Sports federations and authorities across the globe fear for the integrity of sports amid the growing expansion of betting activities. Besides match-fixing, gambling activities may also impact the lives of professional athletes with threats and hateful messages being posted on social media by angered punters.

Tasked with safeguarding, encouraging and enhancing the integrity of professional tennis worldwide, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), constantly monitors the sport. The regulatory body enforces tough penalties against tennis officials and athletes involved in unlawful activities.

On Thursday, the ITIA confirmed it imposed a sanction against one tennis umpire from Slovenia. ITIA’s sanction is against Marko Ducman, a Slovenian international-level tennis official. According to the Agency, the umpire admitted to breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP) related to gambling.

A statement released by the ITIA confirms that Ducman admitted to a total of four TACP breaches. The violations relate to wagering on tennis matches. Moreover, the Slovenian bronze badge official admitted to manipulating data from matches they officiated and engaged in wagering.

Throughout his career, Ducman officiated at WTA, ATP and ITF tournaments. Due to the aforementioned breaches, he was banned from the sport for 10 years and six months. Ducman was provisionally suspended on September 8, 2023. The ITIA explained that his time under provisional suspension will be credited against the period of the ban. This otherwise means that the umpire’s suspension from the sport will end on March 7, 2034.

The Slovenian Umpire Received a Fine in Addition to the Ban

Besides the 10-year suspension, the ITIA fined Ducman $75,000 with $56,250 suspended. According to the watchdog, the Slovenian tennis official agreed to cooperate fully with its investigation and “accepted an agreed sanction,” effectively waiving his right to a hearing before an independent Anti-Corruption Hearing Officer.

Similar to other bans imposed by the ITIA, the umpire won’t be allowed to officiate at any tennis event sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. Additionally, the suspension effectively prohibits him from attending such events as well.

The latest sanction comes after back in September, ITIA provisionally suspended French player Maxence Broville. At the time of the announcement, the Agency confirmed the player failed to comply with one of its demands. Moreover, the ITIA did not rule out the possibility of Broville breaching the TACP rules.

Earlier in the year, ITIA banned for life the French tennis professional player, Alexis Musialek, due to breaches related to match-fixing. Upon announcing the sanction, the watchdog said that it uncovered a total of 39 breaches of the TACP rules.

The post Bronze Badge Tennis Official Banned for 10 Years over Match-Fixing appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The Spanish National Police, in collaboration with the Spanish Tax Agency, Europol, and INTERPOL, have dismantled an extensive organized crime network implicated in match-fixing of sporting events and leveraging technology to manipulate bookmakers’ odds.

International Table Tennis Bets Uncover Vast Sports Match-Fixing Network

This operation, which has been ongoing since 2020, initially came to light when Spanish law enforcement agencies detected a series of suspicious online bets being placed on international table tennis tournaments. As their investigation unfolded, they uncovered a sophisticated criminal network primarily consisting of individuals from Romania and Bulgaria.

The core of their illicit activities involved corrupting athletes to manipulate match outcomes outside of Spain. Once these arrangements were settled, the group’s operatives within Spain inundated online bookmakers with a deluge of bets.

What set this syndicate apart was its ability to outpace bookmakers in obtaining match information. Using advanced technology, they gained access to live video feeds directly from stadiums, arenas, and pitches worldwide. This edge allowed them to place bets with unrivaled certainty, maximizing their profits. In contrast, bookmakers relied on slower satellite feeds and relays for the same events.

The criminal network’s tentacles extended to various global sporting events, including the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Nations League, German Bundesliga, ATP, and ITF tennis tournaments. Despite reaping substantial rewards, the syndicate managed to evade detection by adopting multiple identities and accounts.

Among those apprehended was an individual affiliated with a prominent bookmaker who colluded with the syndicate to validate their online bets, further implicating the industry in this web of deceit.

INTERPOL’s Crucial Role in Unraveling Global Match-Fixing Network

INTERPOL played a pivotal role in this operation through its Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre, mobilizing the INTERPOL Match-Fixing Task Force (IMFTF) and employing its extensive global policing resources. 

Jürgen Stock, INTERPOL’s secretary general, commented on the operation, saying: “Organized crime groups will exploit the tiniest of gaps given the opportunity. In this case, we’re talking about a 20- or 30-second advantage that led to significant gains.” 

Stock emphasized the importance of such operations and reaffirmed INTERPOL’s commitment to supporting law enforcement agencies worldwide.

IMFTF specialists joined Spanish authorities during house raids, facilitating the extraction and analysis of data from seized devices and cross-referencing information across INTERPOL’s databases.

This collaborative effort led to the blocking of 47 bank accounts and 28 payment gateways across multiple countries. Seized items included mobile phones, satellite dishes, signal receivers, cash, counterfeit banknotes, credit and debit cards, identification documents, and prepaid SIM cards. In other news, 17 arrests have been made in Spain in connection with match-fixing allegations involving a soccer club president and players conspiring to manipulate betting results.

The post Spanish Authorities Bust International Sports Match-Fixing Syndicate appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The global independent body established to protect the integrity of tennis around the world, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), announced it imposed a new regulatory sanction against a Bolivian tennis chair umpire. The ITIA said that the umpire, Heriberto Morales Churata, received a temporary ban from the sport after an investigation uncovered that he manipulated scores for betting purposes.

The aforementioned breaches, the Agency said, date back to events in 2021, as well as 2022, within the ITF World Tennis Tour. The umpire, who is also a green badge official, manipulated data for some of the events by entering incorrect scores into a handheld device. As a result, Churata was sanctioned by the ITIA with a six-year ban.

In light of the ban, the umpire is prohibited to officiate at any tennis event that is authorized or sanctioned by the governing bodies of tennis. What’s more, the ban restricts Churata from attending events under the ITIA. Besides the six-year ban, the Agency imposed a $10,000 fine against the Bolivian tennis umpire.

“Morales Churata, a green badge official, was found to have manipulated scores for betting purposes by incorrectly entering scores into the handheld device at ITF World Tennis Tour events in 2021 and 2022. In addition to the ban, the official has been fined $10,000,“

explains a statement released by the ITIA

The Tennis Integrity Body Uncovers Multiple Breaches

Upon investigating, the ITIA uncovered multiple breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program (TACP). The integrity watchdog explained that it found that Churata breached Section D.1.b, Section D.1.m and Section D.2.b.i of the 2021 TACP. Those sections prohibit covered persons from manipulating the outcomes of tennis matches and demand any breaches to be reported.

Additionally, the ITIA said that the umpire breached the same sections from the 2022 TACP. Five breaches were recorded for each of the sections, while at the same time, Churata breached Section D.2.b.ii of the 2021 and 2022 TACP. This section in particular requires any suspected manipulations or breaches to be reported.

According to the ITIA, the latest case was dealt under its 2023 TACP “agreed sanction” framework which allows the implementation of a sanction without a hearing and upon admission of the offenses. As a result, Churata’s ban was implemented on December 8, 2022, which marked the start of his provisional suspension. Given the sanction, the umpire will be banned from the sport through December 7, 2028.

The post Bolivian Tennis Chair Umpire Fined and Banned over Match-Fixing appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The latest player to be named is also the first British player, Mark King, who has been suspended over a game he played against Joe Perry and lost 4-0 in February at the Welsh Open

King Becomes First British Player Suspended in Recent Match-Fixing Case

King’s name is lumped together for the time being with that of 10 Chinse players who are also facing match-fixing charges and other offenses. His suspension comes with an official confirmation by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) which released a statement on the matter.

According to the press release, the organization’s chairman, Jason Ferguson, has made a decision to suspend King from attending or participating in the World Snooker Tour with immediate effect. The suspension announcement also came with a clarification:

The suspension will remain in place until the conclusion of the investigation or any subsequent charges that may or may not be brought.

WPBSA statement

Perry, though, has not been accused of wrongdoing and said that he was surprised to hear that the WPBSA would open an investigation. In his opinion, King was simply having a bad day at the table, not so much losing on purpose.

He further added that like any top-ranking player, King is prone to have his good and bad days. Perry said that he himself had bad streaks and found it hard to rally from some of those. However Perry noted that King did have a gambling addiction, but to the best of his knowledge, the man had been able to keep it at bay and stay away from gambling.

Every Player Has Their Bad and Awful Days

“I hope it comes to nothing, I hope it’s just a coincidence and it comes to nothing. I’d hate to see any truth in it,” he concluded. The first reports of suspended players began at the start of the year, with a number of Chinese players named in the first offenses. Their numbers have since swelled to 10 suspects.

While King may have been involved in some strange betting patterns, this does not mean that the man did anything purposefully. There is no clear statement as to how King would have even known the other players and what he would have done to connect with match-fixers in the first place. All of this will be answered during the investigation.

The post Snooker Player Mark King Suspended over Match-Fixing Suspicion appeared first on Keno Wizard.