Post by QPR Report on Oct 17, 2008 7:41:10 GMT
Imagine if anyone were actually found to have done anything, would get a massive banned-for-life type sentence besides any criminal penalties there might.
The Times - FA probes claims that gamblers tried to fix match between Norwich and Derby - Patrick Kidd
The FA has confirmed that it is investigating allegations of attempted match-fixing in the Coca-Cola Championship match between Norwich City and Derby County on October 4.
A significant amount of money is believed to have been wagered with bookmakers in the Far East shortly before and during half-time of the match at Carrow Road. The movement in the market was not consistent with expectations, prompting speculation in the betting industry that gamblers were acting on inside knowledge.
It was reported at the weekend that the FA had been handed documents detailing the irregular betting, but the governing body had refused to say which match was being investigated until questions were tabled in Parliament yesterday naming the game.
Derby won 2-1 despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half when Roy Carroll, their goalkeeper, brought down Leroy Lita and was sent off. Sammy Clingan converted the ensuing penalty to cancel out Derby's opening goal, scored by Rob Hulse in the 26th minute, but the visiting side claimed a winner through Nathan Ellington five minutes from time after David Marshall, the Norwich goalkeeper, failed to clear a loose ball outside his area.
Betting industry insiders said yesterday that between Derby's opening goal and the end of half-time there had been a substantial movement towards Norwich in the odds being laid by the two Asian bookmakers that were offering betting in running on the game. No British bookmakers were taking bets as the game progressed.
“The price moved by about half a goal in Norwich's favour for no real reason,” an industry insider said. Under the Asian Handicap system used by the bookmakers, a drawn result is eliminated and gamblers bet during a match on how the rest of the game will pan out.
After falling behind, Norwich were expected by the bookmakers to score a quarter of a goal more than Derby in the remaining 64 minutes, but this had increased by half-time to a three-quarter margin for the second half. After Carroll was sent off, Norwich were expected to score one and a quarter goals more than Derby in the remaining 40 minutes. “Someone was clearly placing a hell of a lot of money on Norwich,” the source said, observing that the plan had seemed to backfire after the home side's late error.
Sudden shifts of half a goal in Asian Handicap matches are not unprecedented, but they are unlikely. However, it was pointed out that normally six Asian bookmakers would have been covering the match rather than two, so the market would have been weaker and more prone to swings based on a few large bets. It is understood that betting of about £100,000 in such a market could have swung the odds so heavily towards Norwich.
“It looks fishy, but you couldn't say so with 100 per cent certainty,” the source said. The bookmakers that were covering the match were SBOBET and IBCBET, both based in the Philippines. There is no suggestion of any impropriety on their part.
The identity of the match was revealed when questions were tabled to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, and Ian Gibson, the Labour MP for Norwich North, who are Norwich season ticket-holders.
“It was profoundly shocking to me to learn that Norwich City were at the centre of such allegations,” Lamb said. “This is fundamental to the reputation of the club and the integrity of the game.” He is seeking a meeting with the FA to gain assurances that the matter will be investigated rigorously.
“None of these allegations may have any foundation, but it is deeply troubling for the clubs involved,” Lamb added. “Nobody wants a smear hanging over them.”
Lord Triesman, the FA chairman, said: “We take it [the allegation] really seriously. We at the FA would want a thorough investigation because I think we've got a genuinely very, very clean sport and the only way to have a very clean sport is that if any allegation comes up you treat it seriously.
“It'll be done as expeditiously as we can do it but not at the cost of thoroughness. Nobody at the moment's got the smallest idea what the substance is.”
Paul Jewell, the Derby manager, said the claims were nonsense. “If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable,” he said. “I don't know where the story has come from but it's certainly nothing for us to hide or Norwich to hide.”
How the match unfolded
Norwich City v Derby County Carrow Road
Saturday, October 4, 2008
3pm Norwich kick off
3.03pm Darel Russell, the Norwich midfield player, receives yellow card from Darren Deadman for foul on Miles Addison
3.20pm Dean Leacock, the Derby defender, booked for clumsy challenge on Russell
3.25pm Rob Hulse heads Derby in front from corner taken by Steve Davis. Norwich 0 Derby 1
3.26pm Hulse handed yellow card for late challenge on Jon Otsemobor
3.28pm Roy Carroll, the Derby goalkeeper, tips over free kick taken from edge of penalty area by Omar Koroma, the Norwich forward
3.33pm An assistant referee is injured and replaced by fourth official
3.48pm Deadman blows half-time whistle. Norwich 0 Derby 1
Price on Norwich to win second half drops substantially on Far Eastern betting exchanges during interval
4.05pm Derby kick off second half
4.08pm Carroll is sent off and Norwich are awarded penalty after Derby goalkeeper brings down Leroy Lita with high challenge
4.10pm Sammy Clingan beats Stephen Bywater, the Derby substitute goalkeeper, from penalty spot. Norwich 1 Derby 1
4.25pm Przemyslaw Kazmierczak, a substitute for the visiting side, receives yellow card for foul on Russell as Norwich dominate second half
4.32pm Jordan Stewart, the Derby defender, booked for dissent
4.44pm David Marshall, the Norwich goalkeeper, collides with Adam Drury, his team-mate, allowing Nathan Ellington to score with low left-footed strike Norwich 1 Derby 2
4.55pm Referee blows final whistle after five minutes of stoppage time
Words by Kaveh Solhekol
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4959046.ece
The Times - FA probes claims that gamblers tried to fix match between Norwich and Derby - Patrick Kidd
The FA has confirmed that it is investigating allegations of attempted match-fixing in the Coca-Cola Championship match between Norwich City and Derby County on October 4.
A significant amount of money is believed to have been wagered with bookmakers in the Far East shortly before and during half-time of the match at Carrow Road. The movement in the market was not consistent with expectations, prompting speculation in the betting industry that gamblers were acting on inside knowledge.
It was reported at the weekend that the FA had been handed documents detailing the irregular betting, but the governing body had refused to say which match was being investigated until questions were tabled in Parliament yesterday naming the game.
Derby won 2-1 despite being reduced to ten men early in the second half when Roy Carroll, their goalkeeper, brought down Leroy Lita and was sent off. Sammy Clingan converted the ensuing penalty to cancel out Derby's opening goal, scored by Rob Hulse in the 26th minute, but the visiting side claimed a winner through Nathan Ellington five minutes from time after David Marshall, the Norwich goalkeeper, failed to clear a loose ball outside his area.
Betting industry insiders said yesterday that between Derby's opening goal and the end of half-time there had been a substantial movement towards Norwich in the odds being laid by the two Asian bookmakers that were offering betting in running on the game. No British bookmakers were taking bets as the game progressed.
“The price moved by about half a goal in Norwich's favour for no real reason,” an industry insider said. Under the Asian Handicap system used by the bookmakers, a drawn result is eliminated and gamblers bet during a match on how the rest of the game will pan out.
After falling behind, Norwich were expected by the bookmakers to score a quarter of a goal more than Derby in the remaining 64 minutes, but this had increased by half-time to a three-quarter margin for the second half. After Carroll was sent off, Norwich were expected to score one and a quarter goals more than Derby in the remaining 40 minutes. “Someone was clearly placing a hell of a lot of money on Norwich,” the source said, observing that the plan had seemed to backfire after the home side's late error.
Sudden shifts of half a goal in Asian Handicap matches are not unprecedented, but they are unlikely. However, it was pointed out that normally six Asian bookmakers would have been covering the match rather than two, so the market would have been weaker and more prone to swings based on a few large bets. It is understood that betting of about £100,000 in such a market could have swung the odds so heavily towards Norwich.
“It looks fishy, but you couldn't say so with 100 per cent certainty,” the source said. The bookmakers that were covering the match were SBOBET and IBCBET, both based in the Philippines. There is no suggestion of any impropriety on their part.
The identity of the match was revealed when questions were tabled to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport by Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk, and Ian Gibson, the Labour MP for Norwich North, who are Norwich season ticket-holders.
“It was profoundly shocking to me to learn that Norwich City were at the centre of such allegations,” Lamb said. “This is fundamental to the reputation of the club and the integrity of the game.” He is seeking a meeting with the FA to gain assurances that the matter will be investigated rigorously.
“None of these allegations may have any foundation, but it is deeply troubling for the clubs involved,” Lamb added. “Nobody wants a smear hanging over them.”
Lord Triesman, the FA chairman, said: “We take it [the allegation] really seriously. We at the FA would want a thorough investigation because I think we've got a genuinely very, very clean sport and the only way to have a very clean sport is that if any allegation comes up you treat it seriously.
“It'll be done as expeditiously as we can do it but not at the cost of thoroughness. Nobody at the moment's got the smallest idea what the substance is.”
Paul Jewell, the Derby manager, said the claims were nonsense. “If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable,” he said. “I don't know where the story has come from but it's certainly nothing for us to hide or Norwich to hide.”
How the match unfolded
Norwich City v Derby County Carrow Road
Saturday, October 4, 2008
3pm Norwich kick off
3.03pm Darel Russell, the Norwich midfield player, receives yellow card from Darren Deadman for foul on Miles Addison
3.20pm Dean Leacock, the Derby defender, booked for clumsy challenge on Russell
3.25pm Rob Hulse heads Derby in front from corner taken by Steve Davis. Norwich 0 Derby 1
3.26pm Hulse handed yellow card for late challenge on Jon Otsemobor
3.28pm Roy Carroll, the Derby goalkeeper, tips over free kick taken from edge of penalty area by Omar Koroma, the Norwich forward
3.33pm An assistant referee is injured and replaced by fourth official
3.48pm Deadman blows half-time whistle. Norwich 0 Derby 1
Price on Norwich to win second half drops substantially on Far Eastern betting exchanges during interval
4.05pm Derby kick off second half
4.08pm Carroll is sent off and Norwich are awarded penalty after Derby goalkeeper brings down Leroy Lita with high challenge
4.10pm Sammy Clingan beats Stephen Bywater, the Derby substitute goalkeeper, from penalty spot. Norwich 1 Derby 1
4.25pm Przemyslaw Kazmierczak, a substitute for the visiting side, receives yellow card for foul on Russell as Norwich dominate second half
4.32pm Jordan Stewart, the Derby defender, booked for dissent
4.44pm David Marshall, the Norwich goalkeeper, collides with Adam Drury, his team-mate, allowing Nathan Ellington to score with low left-footed strike Norwich 1 Derby 2
4.55pm Referee blows final whistle after five minutes of stoppage time
Words by Kaveh Solhekol
www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/football_league/article4959046.ece