BEFORE THE HIGHLIGHTS of Sligo Rovers’ FAI Cup game at home to Limerick FC were available for viewing, many were already excited to see them, as social media had kept us updated on the bizarre game which featured eight goals, four red cards and one missed penalty.
When the highlights were released, social media first applauded Karl O’Sullivan’s two wonderful goals that gave the Blues a two-goal lead after seven minutes – but then people erupted in conspiracy theories and a lot of laughter as the Limerick defending for the six Rovers goals was analysed.
One Limerick defender was singled out for special attention as he seemed out of his depth in the face of wave after wave of Sligo attack.
Amateur Twitter detectives had been monitoring the betting activity around the game and their suspicions about the unusual patterns were proven correct when first, the Garda’s National Economic Crime Unit arrived in Hogan Park where Limerick FC train and second, when the FAI confirmed that a UEFA report had highlighted suspicious activity on two Limerick matches, the Sligo match and a game against Shelbourne in April, which Limerick lost 2-0.
The PFAI have confirmed that the phones of all Limerick FC players have been confiscated by the Gardai, and that players had been interviewed by Gardai about the Shelbourne game earlier this year. While no accusations or charges have been brought, it appears that the Shelbourne match investigation is still open.
Nothing may come of the investigation – there have been investigations which have taken place before without charges being brought. Or, it may be the players just aren’t good enough to play against Premier Division opposition. That, like Athlone Town keeper Igor Labutz’s defence prior to his 12-month FAI ban for Manipulating Matches in 2017 – they are ‘trying to play and doing their best, but they are just not top-class players’.
In general, any time match-fixing is proven, that should be the end of the guilty players in the game in Ireland. It cheats the team-mates with whom you share a dressing room, it cheats the people who work behind the scenes, it cheats the supporters who are there home and away cheering you on. Cheaters should be punished, but it’s not necessarily the black and white issue it appears, with many people operating in a very grey space.
The FAI are happy to claim they’ve created the environment that saw Dundalk get to group stages in the Europa league. However, in my view they’ve also created also the environment where Limerick players under suspicion are in a situation where their club appears in constant threat of financial failure, with examinership rumours in Sunday papers, leaving doubts over their wages.
It allows the sale of League of Ireland video streaming rights to Trackchamp who, for all their comments about the “democratisation of football” at their launch are really just streaming games on betting websites and increasing the volume of betting on Irish games with practically no benefit to the clubs.
The FAI’s relationship with betting companies and gamblers appears to come with a serious lack of due diligence. In March this year the FAI entered a two-year deal with SportPesa, who also sponsor Cork City FC. Cork City fans have long questioned the track record of the company and their founder, Gerasim Nikolov. The Nigerian-based businessman has been the subject of scathing criticism in Nigerian media due to past associations in his native Bulgaria.
Two players who have been banned for match fixing – Igors Labuts and Dragos Sfrijan were Athlone players banned following an investigation into a game against Longford Town in 2017. They were two players brought in by the Portuguese/Chinese team that took over Athlone in a veil of secrecy in 2017, following meetings with – and subsequent support – from the FAI.
Athlone fans with access to nothing more than Google were able to track down information that suggested previous match-fixing allegations in Eastern Europe involving some of Athlone’s new owners and players. Athlone town AFC and the FAI appear to have failed to do even this basic level of due diligence, with fans raising concerns that quickly became very real.
Exposed
For a National League we are a relatively small league, poorly funded and with players operating on very low wage levels. We have a national organisation with clear and historic issues of governance and an ongoing recent failure to hold people to account for financial mismanagement and financial practices that would not be acceptable in any other industry.
Low funding and poor governance coupled with a global platform for our games has put us in a hugely uncomfortable position where we are legitimately exposed to corruption and match-fixing. The funding is unlikely to increase to the point where players can be bribed to throw, or benefit from throwing, a match. Governance is undergoing an overhaul but is unlikely to maintain pace with match fixers. One of the clearest messages the FAI could make right now would be to refuse to enter into sponsorship deals and associations with the gambling and betting companies.
It is likely that the only deterrent we have right now to match fixing is very lengthy bans for individuals and criminal prosecution. While appropriate it is unfortunate that, like so many things in Irish football, it leaves the people at the core of serious issues off the hook.
