A-League bets scandal prompts FFA call
Football Federation Australia has called for compulsory co-operation between betting agencies and sporting bodies following the A-League's betting scandal.
FFA on Friday imposed sanctions on three players, Melbourne's Kevin Muscat and Grant Brebner, and Queensland captain Craig Moore, after all were found to have placed bets on games involving A-League teams.
Former Socceroos captains Muscat and Moore were fined $5000, $2000 of which was suspended, while Brebner was banned for two matches after betting on one match involving his own team.
Information on the bets was provided by betting agency Betfair, with whom FFA have an "integrity agreement".
FFA has similar agreement with Tabcorp but not with any other agencies, including Centrebet, which is a major sponsor to A-League club Newcastle.
But FFA chief has called for the government to step in and ensure such agreements were compulsory with all betting agencies.
"We would like the government to consider obliging all agencies to provide that sort of information to sporting bodies," Buckley said.
"Because clearly what this does demonstrate is that agreements like this actually work and that the governing body does have access to vital information and can act on it."
Buckley was confident the problem was not widespread but said FFA would continue to impose strict penalties if they discovered other players had been betting.
"There's no information we have to suggest that it extend's beyond this," Buckley said.
"If and when that information was to become available, we would act on it accordingly and be consistent with what we've done here."
Buckley was satisfied that all three players involved had made honest mistakes and had taken full responsibility for their actions.
Melbourne said they were disappointed in the actions of Muscat and Brebner but would fully support their players, particularly Brebner, who has a history of gambling problems.
The 31-year-old Scottish midfielder, a former Manchester United apprentice, revealed last year that he was a recovering gambling addict and at one stage had a $6200-a-week addiction.
The addiction saw him spend a month in early 2004 in a rehabilitation clinic run by Sporting Chance, the charity founded by recovered alcoholic and former England and Arsenal captain and now Portsmouth manager Tony Adams.
"In Grant's case it's been well documented he has an ongoing issue with gambling, the club has always supported Grant in addressing this issue," Victory football operations manager Gary Cole said after Friday's 4-2 loss to Newcastle.
Victory skipper Kevin Muscat, who said on Friday he was embarrassed and deeply hurt to have been involved, said he felt for his teammate Brebner.
"I feel for him at this time because he has got an illness and my thoughts go out to him," Muscat said.
Meanwhile, Adelaide United coach Aurelio Vidmar said on Saturday he thought Brebner, Muscat and Moore had been let off lightly.
"I'm quite surprised how lenient they were on those boys," Vidmar told reporters upon arrival back into Adelaide from the Club World Cup in Japan.
"Because we don't want that part of our game."
Vidmar said the rules had been in place long enough for players to understand them by now.
"That's been set in stone in their contract for a few years now, so everyone knows they're not supposed to gamble on any A-League games," Vidmar said.
e-bets-scandal-prompts-ffa Torne2008-12-20 20:55:54
Didt't think so! Same old FFA...