ABC.net.au – The managing director of Swiss-based Sportradar says he doubts this investigation, or the number of prosecutions for match-fixing within sport, is high enough to effectively deter Asian syndicates from targeting Australia.
“It’s an emerging market, in a negative way,” says Sportradar’s managing director of strategy and integrity Andreas Krannich, who cannot comment on the Victorian case for legal reasons.
“They see that most sports are very vulnerable, they are clueless about how to handle it, they are clueless about sports betting.”
Two of the players charged for allegedly fixing Victorian Premier League matches came from an English league that has also been under investigation due to suspicious betting activity.
Joe Woolley and Reiss Noel were among six men charged on Sunday after a police investigation into the Melbourne-based Southern Stars club.
The players joined the Stars this season, after leaving lower-tier English side AFC Hornchurch.
AFC Hornchurch played in the English Football Conference South last season.
In March, the British Gambling Commission announced it was investigating the league.
Yesterday the club released a statement, saying it is surprised and disappointed its former players have been connected to allegations of match-fixing in Australia.
