PLAYERS CAUGHT IN A FIX

Panaji: Match-fixing in Goan football is real.For the past five years, international betting monitors like Sportradar and Genius Sports have told the Goa Football Association (GFA) about suspicious betting patterns in Goa Professional League which are indicative of match-fixing.

Such attempts have continued unabated since none of those involved has been caught by the police or punished by the authorities.Now, for the first time, several footballers have officially told the GFA that they were approached to fix games for monetary benefits.The disclosure follows a show cause by the GFA after Chapora Yuvak Sangh, debutants in the top tier of Goan football, filed a police complaint, alleging nine of their players were involved in fixing games.Players from two other Goa Pro League clubs – Calangute Association and Pax of Nagoa – are also trapped in the fixing web and now face a trial before the GFA Ethics Committee, which meets on Tuesday to decide the fate of 14 footballers, two of them no longer associated with any club.Facing a multiple-year ban, one of the show-caused players said in his response that he was asked by his Chapora Yuvak Sangh teammate on October 15 to join him for a meeting at Old Goa ferry point and later behind the police station, where a masked man approached them to fix games.

“I was unaware of the purpose of the meeting,” the player said in his reply, seen by TOI. “An unknown person wearing a mask arrived. The unknown person asked whether we were ready to fix the football game. I immediately refused, and all team members also said no. Despite our refusal, the person mentioned that the fixing would involve three goals, and again asked if we were willing to cooperate. We again refused.”Interestingly, along with the masked man, now suspected to be the key behind the fixing syndicate, two players from Calangute Association were also at the spot.

Both players have now been suspended by the club pending inquiry. One of them has played for top clubs in the country, including those featuring in the top-tier Indian Super League (ISL).Another player has detailed how seven of his teammates were called to a location, which he only identified with “sea by the side” before being directed to a new location, where other players joined.“One car came to the spot with fully tinted (glasses), then one person came from (the) car with a mask on his face and cap.

The players then came to us and told us that the ‘mask man’ is talking about match fixing, for three goals. All the teammates refused the offer,” the player said in his response.Chapora lost 1-2 to Clube de Salgaocar in a GPL match played the next day.All players have claimed in their replies they never indulged in any match-fixing. Sources, however, said Chapora is expected to present more evidence before the GFA Ethics Committee.Even if the players claim innocence and there is no proof of match-fixing, senior GFA officials said non-disclosure of relevant information is treated as a misrepresentation of facts leading to deception.“The players’ failure to report the approach from a fixer is a serious offence,” said a senior GFA official. “Before the start of every season, the GFA conducts an integrity workshop for all clubs with players and officials in attendance.

The players also have to sign an integrity declaration, without which their registration remains incomplete. The players cannot say they are unaware.”According to the GFA Ethics Code, all bribery and corruption offers must be reported to the Integrity Officer and the designated person of the association, and any failure to do so is sanctionable.“No person bound by this code shall fix, contrive, improperly influence or otherwise take action which could cause the occurrence of a particular incident, outcome, result or anything else in a match or football event, and for which any money, benefit or reward (including associated with a bet-related arrangement) is expected or received.

Persons bound by this Code shall immediately report any potential breach of this Code to the designated person or the integrity officer,” states Article 25(5) of the GFA Ethics Code.Last year, the GFA handed a lifetime ban to five footballers, based on Mizoram Football Association’s stringent action against three club officials and 24 players for their involvement in match-fixing during the Mizoram Premier League.Now, GFA could be setting a precedent of its own.