Russian football authorities are aiming to make match fixing a thing of the past with a string of new regulations. RIA Novosti reports the head of the Russian Football Union’s committee on fixing told them that tougher punishments and more stringent investigations would be at the forefront of the new strategy. “It will soon be that we have so much [work] that it will be difficult,” Anzor Kavazashvili told RIA Novosti. “The fact that we are now moving forward swiftly shows that there will no longer be fixed games because no one wants to pay huge fines or be banned from football for life.” Match fixers names will be made public and law enforcement authorities be informed under the new plan. Clubs can be fined up to 50 million rubles ($1.7 million) if they are implicated with players and officials receiving life bans if involved.
England international Wayne Rooney’s dad has been cleared following an investigation into betting irregularities. Wayne Rooney Snr was among nine men arrested on a charge of conspiracy to defraud after irregular patterns surrounded a match between Motherwell and Hearts. Rooney Snr’s lawyer, Anthony Barnfather, confirmed the case has been dropped, adding: “Mr Rooney Snr has always vigorously denied the allegations and maintained his innocence throughout the investigation. “He is delighted the matter has now concluded.” The player involved, Steve Jennings, has yet to clear his name and continues to protest his innocence.
Zimbabwe’s footballing administrators are threatening to fine players up to $10,000 if they don’t cooperate with a long-running match fixing probe. Retired Judge Ahmed Ebrahim is heading the probe on behalf of ZIFA, and explained that FIFA requires players to cooperate with investigators. Over 100 players have already been suspended over claims they accepted money from an Asian betting syndicate to throw international matches. The games, all involving Zimbabwean teams, were losses to Jordan (2-0), Thailand (3-0) and Syria (6-0) in Malaysia in 2009. Players testified earlier this year and explained how money changed hands in the dressing rooms with money linked back to the jailed Singaporean match fixer Wilson Raj Perumal.
