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Soccer match-fixing scandal

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Dick Whitman, Feb 5, 2013.

  1. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    680 matches under suspicion, including some World Cup qualifiers and Champions League matches.

    I don't really know the intricacies of the sport's structure, but am I wrong that this is huge? As in a lot bigger than the news cycle is treating it at this point?

    http://sports.yahoo.com/news/match-fixing-probe-found-380-103613303--sow.html
     
  2. LongTimeListener

    LongTimeListener Well-Known Member

    It was pretty large yesterday and I think it's a big deal worldwide. But none of it happened in America.

    I wasn't surprised about the African and Asian games and some of the World Cup qualifiers, because a lot of those guys don't earn much money. Can't for the life of me figure out what player would want/need to fix a Champions League match.

    Soccer is one fucked-up sport, though.
     
  3. Norrin Radd

    Norrin Radd New Member

    Gotta know the matches before judging it.

    If there is significant chicanery in European nations not named Italy, then this will be huge.

    It won't be a blip here.
     
  4. Tarheel316

    Tarheel316 Well-Known Member

    Yep. Could be huge in Europe.
     
  5. PressRowsNotSafe

    PressRowsNotSafe New Member

    One of the strangest things when I first started following association football/soccer overseas was seeing sites like Bet365.com sponsored on players' kits.

    It's a huge deal. Reportedly two Champions Leagues matches involved. Also, World Cup qualifiers, even more significant in my eyes. Again, not going to blow up here, but it will permeate some of the shows like Behind the Lines potentially and whatnot when more details emerge, even though it will likely deserve the kind of attention that Armstrong got. With that and all the racism issues still bubbling, all a black eye.
     
  6. Sam Mills 51

    Sam Mills 51 Well-Known Member

    Don't you mean "Outside The Lines"? "Behind The Lines" is an excellent opening album track by Genesis.

    Carry on.
     
  7. YankeeFan

    YankeeFan Well-Known Member

    Under the Tunes.
     
  8. 93Devil

    93Devil Well-Known Member

    Very little traction here.

    In the rest of the world, massive.
     
  9. NoOneLikesUs

    NoOneLikesUs Active Member

    MLS will be affected, if it already hasn't. The Asian gambling cartels have influence everywhere.

    And this is not about outcomes. It's about victory margins and the long odds that go with them.

    Read the book by Declan Hill on the matter.
     
  10. Dick Whitman

    Dick Whitman Well-Known Member

    What tipped them off?

    A rash of games with two goals scored?
     
  11. Stoney

    Stoney Well-Known Member

    Says the probe uncovered $2.7 million in bribes to players and officials, and then quotes an investigator as saying that's just "the tip of the iceberg." So, yeah, sounds to me like this could be mighty huge.
     
  12. Inky_Wretch

    Inky_Wretch Well-Known Member

    I've not seen the complete list of suspicious matches, but I'd guess most involve group stage matches or Asian league matches. I can't imagine they'd be able to bribe, say, QPR players to lay down to Fulham or get Howard Webb to give more Fergie time to United.

    The prevailing attitude in soccer world reminds me of that in cycling world when PEDs became a story there. It's "yeah, we know some matches are fixed, but it's no big deal."
     
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