In response to the alleged match fixing ring in the Victorian Premier League (VPL) Professional Footballers Australia (PFA) has highlighted that it is more important than ever for the sport to invest in the education of players across the country and not just at the elite competition.
The response from Football Federation Australia (FFA) and the Victorian Police shows there is no complacency within the game or among the players as to the threat that match fixing poses to the sport, particularly in relation to spot-fixing, exotic bets and non-top tier fixtures.
PFA General Manager, Adam Vivian stated, “the players allegedly involved in match fixing within the VPL are not PFA members however, experience tells us that corruption does not begin with the player. The corruption process is multifaceted, organised and is designed to exploit footballers. The inherent nature of non-elite tiers of competition makes them more susceptible to corruption.
The PFA has been actively educating it’s A-League members over the course of its pre-season meetings with players on the issue of match fixing and corruption, and will continue to work towards prevention through education and enforcement alongside other sporting bodies in Australia and overseas including FIFPro and INTERPOL. However, semi-pro and amateur levels do not receive the same level of education.
Globally, players have committed to working together with the governing bodies, governments and police to eradicate match fixing at all levels.
The Australian Athletes’ Alliance (AAA), the peak body for Australia’s elite players’ associations released a statement on 7 February 2013 outlining the necessity for a collaborative approach including robust education, strong codes of conduct, complementary legislation and a deep ongoing commitment to protecting athletes whose careers and safety can be placed at risk and into the hands of corrupting elements. The PFA and the players remain committed to these principles.
The PFA sees players as the primary defense of football in defeating the issue of match fixing.
The establishment of the National Match Fixing Policy in June 2011 to ensure the good governance of sport has been a step in the right direction. The focus should now be on educating the players within leagues that face less scrutiny. These leagues are more susceptible to those that prey on and exploit athletes.
The game must continue to learn from these experiences in order for football or any sport for that matter to triumph over match fixing.”
ENDS
