Betting integrity agencies will be asked to investigate whether there were any spikes in betting on Saturday’s match between Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End. It comes after Preston boss Graham Westley admitted being told by Wednesday staff that four of his players had divulged details of his squad in the lead up to the game – which they lost 2-0. It’s routine the Football Association investigate any allegations and a spokesman added: “We will await full details before commenting any further.”
Players aren’t bound by any rules preventing them from sharing team details and as such it might be hard to punish the players of any wrongdoing – if betting wasn’t involved. Integrity rules drawn up by the FA state that information sharing is only prohibited if it “enable[s] any person to bet on the result, progress or conduct of a match or competition in which the [player] is participating.”
Italy’s latest match fixing scandal has erupted after it emerged nine players from two clubs could be in on the scam. Atalanta defender Andrea Masiello as well as eight Bari players have been arrested as the country’s football authorities called reported “sensational developments”. The Italian Football Federation said that Bari’s last nine games of the 2010/11 season are being looked into as they promise to take “swift action” if any players are found guilty. One of the games involved includes a derby between Atalanta and Lecce when Masiello’s goal helped Lecce avoid relegation with a 2-0 win – at the expense of Bari.
According to the Telegraph, Bari’s players under investigation are thought to be Daniele Portanova, Alessandro Parisi, Simone Bentivoglio, Marco Rossi, Abdelkader Ghezzal, Marco Esposito, Antonio Bellavista and Nicola Belmonte. There is no suggestion that any gambling was involved in the latest Italian scandal. If you watch the own goal below…well it’s some finish for a defensive player.
