Tuesday, July 16, 2013

SOCCER

"The total global betting market on the Brazil/England friendly last month was in the region of £250 million.

"Stellar football agents represented the England goalkeeper, Joe Hart, and all five defenders who played in Brazil - Ashley Cole, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka, Gary Cahill and Glen Johnson.

"Stellar is co-owned by gambling horserace owner David Manasseh who was warned about his future conduct over the Luton Town bungs affair, and Jonathan Barnett who was found guilty of two misconduct charges over the transfer of Ashley Cole from Arsenal to Chelsea.

"They even attend the same synagogue together!"

Stellar Returns

"When games are rigged, infiltrators are to blame: Asian criminal gangs and Balkan gangsters are the usual suspects.

"But the surest fixes are inside jobs.

"After all, you pay the players’ salaries, so you are in the best position to suborn them.

"You can decide who is picked or dropped, or who goes on the transfer list (or doesn’t)...

A villain's guide to football Welcome to the beautiful game -The Economist

"Be inspired by Arkan, the deceased Serbian paramilitary who is said to have used his football club to traffic arms and drugs...

"In Bulgaria: 15 football club bosses have been murdered in the top football league just over a decade...

"Set up a holding company (or a nest of them) in a discreet jurisdiction, as many owners do, and you have a money-laundering and embezzlement machine at your disposal..."