July 18 – An Australian court has sanctioned a third British footballer for his part in a match-fixing racket that rigged games in the semi-professional league in the state of Victoria.
David Obaze, 25, was one of four Britons originally charged with corruption as part of an ongoing police investigation into betting irregularities surrounding Victoria Premier League club Southern Stars.
Defender Reiss Noel and goalkeeper Joe Woolley were convicted and fined last December – and handed lifetime bans by FIFA – and Ozabe has now been fined A$3000 (£1,636) according to local reports.
A fourth Briton, Nicholas McKoy, 24, has also entered a guilty plea and is scheduled for a hearing in September.
Malaysian national Segaran ‘Gerry’ Subramaniam, described by police as the facilitator between the players and an off-shore syndicate, was sentenced in April to three years imprisonment, with two suspended, after he pleaded guilty to one charge of match-fixing.
According to court transcripts, players yelled “don’t save it” to their goalkeeper in a desperate bid to throw one of the Victorian Premier League games. Noel is reported to have received phone calls throughout the match demanding the Southern Stars concede four goals to Green Gully. He is said to have then passed on the message on to keeper Woolley. In the end the Stars only managed to lose 3-0.
Woolley reportedly told police the overseas players were promised cash bonuses if they followed the syndicate’s instructions. “I knew it was wrong but they were going to give us accommodation. We all thought it was a bit strange but we were going to use it to our advantage,” he was quoted as saying.
The masterminds of the Asian match-fixing epidemic routinely choose minor, little-known leagues to work their scams. Southern Stars play in the 12-team second-tier Victorian Premier League and the allegations relate to a run of four games in which they conceded 13 goals without replying. The four English players were all in English non-league football before moving Down Under.
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