Oz Olympic boss demands new national anti-corruption watchdog to stop illegal betting
March 2nd, 2011 - 1:22 pm ICT by ANICanberra, March 2 (ANI): Australian Olympics boss John Coates has said there is a need for a new national anti-corruption watchdog, with powers to tap phones, to stop match-fixing and illegal betting.
Match or spot fixing, and gambling have been major problems in the recent months, and online gambling is reportedly becoming difficult for sports authorities to tackle and monitor.
“These are the same issues as we had with doping. I think there needs to be some body that is monitoring and some body that is there to investigate it,” Fox Sports quoted Coates, as saying.
“We don’t have those resources, you really need to tap into the (Australian) federal police and be able to phone tap and I think legislation that compels people to come forward with information,” he added.
On Tuesday, Interpol had informed a meeting of sports industry heavyweights at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) headquarters that an estimated 140 billion dollars was spent worldwide on illegal betting last year.
Canterbury football player Ryan Tandy, who is due in court this week, could be jailed for providing false evidence to a law enforcement agency in an NRL betting probe. Three leading Pakistan cricket players were banned for five years last month by the International Cricket Council for their involvement in spot fixing.
In the midst of such situations, Coates had said that the body had to be independent to protect Australia’s sporting reputation, adding: “They have to appear transparent if we are going to maintain the integrity of our sports and the confidence of the public.” (ANI)
- Interpol offers fight against cricket corruption - Dec 16, 2011
- Now, a UK intelligence unit to target corrupt sportspersons - Sep 19, 2010
- Australia vows to tackle match-fixing - Feb 12, 2011
- ICC to probe county match-fixing charges - Mar 11, 2012
- CA calls match-fixing allegations outlandish - Oct 11, 2011
- 500 m dollars gambled away in Indo-Pak WC semi-final: Speed - Apr 22, 2011
- IOC hears of positive doping tests ahead of Games - Feb 11, 2010
- Gilchrist asks ICC to act tough against match-fixers or cricket will be dead - Mar 03, 2011
- Kiwi fans now wondering what's the point in playing 'match-fixers' Pakistan - Sep 20, 2010
- All match-fixers are answerable to Dawood Ibrahim, claims top Pak bookie - Sep 04, 2010
- Pakistani, Australian cricket boards form anti-graft unit - Nov 16, 2011
- China Football Association pledges to fight against corruption - Dec 19, 2011
- Sutherland says his comments were not intended to embarrass PCB - May 05, 2011
- Committed to eradicate match-fixing: Cricket Australia - Nov 02, 2011
- Pakistani daily rues match fixing in cricket - Mar 15, 2012
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