August 11 – Two Ukrainian lawmakers, Andriy Kozhemiakin and Andriy Pavelko (pictured), the latter president of the country’s football federation, have registered a bill in parliament that would criminalise corruption and eradicate match-fixing.
According to local media, if adopted, the law will prohibit players, sports officials and staff from betting on sports they are engaged in. In addition, they will be obliged to report any attempts to influence the outcome of matches.
Match-fixing has been spreading in the lower leagues in Ukraine and Belgium-based anti-match-fixing organisation Federbet said in its report for 2015: “The case of Ukraine demonstrates how the manipulation culture starts in the Under-19 and Under-21 leagues, and after time … affects the higher leagues, where more money is needed for the fix.”
Pavelko says that the federation’s own disciplinary and investigatory measures can’t cope with the scale of the sports corruption problem, so legislation is required. “After I discussed the problem of fixed matches with my colleagues, we came to the conclusion that it couldn’t be solved without a law that makes (this practice) a crime,” he said.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1738846005labto1738846005ofdlr1738846005owedi1738846005sni@w1738846005ahsra1738846005w.wer1738846005dna1738846005