August 16 – The Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF) has brought in Sportradar to implement its Fraud Detection System across all matches in the country’s national leagues. At the same time the CBF has also launched its own in-house Integrity Department, putting in place an Integrity Officer who will work closely with Sportradar.
Sportradar is already entrenched in Brazilian football working with the a number of regional leagues like the Paulista as well as Campeonato Brasileiro Série A and Série B and the Brazil Cup through previous agreements with international football governing bodies.
The deal with the CBF will now extend oversight across Série C and Série D. “In addition, CBF will have the opportunity to call on Sportradar’s unique Fraud Intelligence Unit, to supplement the monitoring and detection services,” said a Sportradar press release.
Last July seven people suspected of match-fixing – including players, coaches, agents and club presidents – were arrested in Brazil. The incidents reportedly occurred in the second and third divisions of the Sao Paulo state championship and were part of an investigation that had begun in 2015.
Those arrested in raids in four Brazilian states were believed to have worked with betting syndicates in Malaysia, China and Indonesia,
Brazil has five regions, with the best known clubs in the more developed south of the country. A total of 11 first division matches were replayed in 2005 after one of the country’s top referees was accused of taking pay off from betting syndicates.
Sportradar Managing Director Integrity Services Andreas Krannich said: “We have put a lot of energy in building our reputation in North and South America and it is so gratifying to see that work come to fruition. Brazil is so important to the global game – a powerful and much-loved standard bearer for football’s past glories and future excitement.”
CBF President Marco Polo Del Nero, wanted in the US as part of the investigations into football corruption, was perhaps ironically quick to have a comment on the new partnership. “Our commitment is on the integrity of all the competitions, safeguarding all matches from any interference. The betting market is growing and we have to ensure that our competitions are not hit by despicable integrity attacks.”
Absolutely, you have to watch out for those despicable integrity attacks in football, Marco.
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