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| Football match-fixing: six men charged over South Stars matches | Football match-fixing: six men charged over South Stars matches |
| (2 days later) | |
| Six men have been charged in relation to Australia's largest match-fixing scandal, including the coach, a goalkeeper and a Malaysian national who's been remanded in custody for allegedly helping run the scam. | Six men have been charged in relation to Australia's largest match-fixing scandal, including the coach, a goalkeeper and a Malaysian national who's been remanded in custody for allegedly helping run the scam. |
| The charges relate to an alleged match-fixing ring estimated to have reaped more than $2m of betting winnings, mainly overseas, from manipulating scores of the bottom-placed Southern Stars in the Victorian Premier League. | The charges relate to an alleged match-fixing ring estimated to have reaped more than $2m of betting winnings, mainly overseas, from manipulating scores of the bottom-placed Southern Stars in the Victorian Premier League. |
| It follows a Victoria Police investigation that began last month on information from Swiss-based sports and betting data intelligence agency Sportradar, which was passed on by Football Federation Australia. | It follows a Victoria Police investigation that began last month on information from Swiss-based sports and betting data intelligence agency Sportradar, which was passed on by Football Federation Australia. |
| Gerry Gsubramaniam, 45, of Clayton South, is accused of acting as a contact point for players in the Southern Stars team. | Gerry Gsubramaniam, 45, of Clayton South, is accused of acting as a contact point for players in the Southern Stars team. |
| He faces 10 charges including five counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and five charges of facilitating conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event. | He faces 10 charges including five counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and five charges of facilitating conduct that corrupts or could corrupt the outcome of a betting event. |
| Gsubramaniam, a Malaysian citizen, appeared before an out of sessions hearing late on Sunday night where he requested bail. | Gsubramaniam, a Malaysian citizen, appeared before an out of sessions hearing late on Sunday night where he requested bail. |
| Detective acting senior sergeant Scott Poynder told the hearing Gsubramaniam had received payment for giving Southern Stars players information on how games were to unfold. | Detective acting senior sergeant Scott Poynder told the hearing Gsubramaniam had received payment for giving Southern Stars players information on how games were to unfold. |
| "He is the contact point," Poynder said. "He receives phone calls. He is given advice on how the Southern Stars players are to perform." | "He is the contact point," Poynder said. "He receives phone calls. He is given advice on how the Southern Stars players are to perform." |
| Poynder told the hearing at least five games had been identified by Sportradar as being "highly suspicious". | Poynder told the hearing at least five games had been identified by Sportradar as being "highly suspicious". |
| He opposed bail and Gsubramaniam was remanded to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court on Monday. | He opposed bail and Gsubramaniam was remanded to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court on Monday. |
| "Video showed some of the players were doing some unusually poor play," Poynder said. "For that work [Gsubramaniam] received payment. Some of the bets are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars." | "Video showed some of the players were doing some unusually poor play," Poynder said. "For that work [Gsubramaniam] received payment. Some of the bets are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars." |
| Goalkeeper Joe Wooley, 23, a UK citizen currently residing in Preston, faces eight charges, including four counts of engaging in conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and four charges of facilitating conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event. | Goalkeeper Joe Wooley, 23, a UK citizen currently residing in Preston, faces eight charges, including four counts of engaging in conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event, and four charges of facilitating conduct that could corrupt the outcome of a betting event. |
| Reiss Noel, 24, also a player for the Southern Stars currently residing in Preston, faces the same charges. | Reiss Noel, 24, also a player for the Southern Stars currently residing in Preston, faces the same charges. |
| Both were released on bail. | Both were released on bail. |
| A further three men, including the team's 36-year-old coach from Wantirna South, were bailed to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court to face the same set of charges as Noel and Wooley. | A further three men, including the team's 36-year-old coach from Wantirna South, were bailed to appear before the Melbourne Magistrates court to face the same set of charges as Noel and Wooley. |
| More charges are expected to be laid in coming days. Four other men arrested on Sunday morning were released pending further inquiries. | More charges are expected to be laid in coming days. Four other men arrested on Sunday morning were released pending further inquiries. |
| Earlier on Sunday, Southern Stars FC president Ercan Cicek said many of the players arrested were from the UK and were playing in Australia in their off-season. | Earlier on Sunday, Southern Stars FC president Ercan Cicek said many of the players arrested were from the UK and were playing in Australia in their off-season. |
| Cicek said five players from England joined the southeast Melbourne-based Stars at the start of the season, at the instigation of a man who also offered to organise sponsorship. | Cicek said five players from England joined the southeast Melbourne-based Stars at the start of the season, at the instigation of a man who also offered to organise sponsorship. |
| He said the man, whose full name he was unable to provide to AAP, first contacted him in 2012 about providing players to the club without paying. | He said the man, whose full name he was unable to provide to AAP, first contacted him in 2012 about providing players to the club without paying. |
| "Our committee members are thinking, 'Oh beautiful, five players for free, we're not going to pay anything, it's a big big bonus'," he said. | "Our committee members are thinking, 'Oh beautiful, five players for free, we're not going to pay anything, it's a big big bonus'," he said. |
| Cicek said the Stars' coach also gave his services for free this season, telling the club he just wanted a chance at Premier League level. | Cicek said the Stars' coach also gave his services for free this season, telling the club he just wanted a chance at Premier League level. |
| But Cicek added the prospect of match-fixing never occurred to Stars officials. | But Cicek added the prospect of match-fixing never occurred to Stars officials. |
| "We [were] never thinking about [the] betting side or the other side, [that] he's going to take money somewhere," Cicek said. | "We [were] never thinking about [the] betting side or the other side, [that] he's going to take money somewhere," Cicek said. |
| "We don't know. We were thinking about only our club, what's the advantage for our club?" | "We don't know. We were thinking about only our club, what's the advantage for our club?" |
| The Stars have played 21 games this season, losing 16 and drawing four. | The Stars have played 21 games this season, losing 16 and drawing four. |
| Their only win was a 1-0 victory over top side Northcote City on 18 August. | Their only win was a 1-0 victory over top side Northcote City on 18 August. |
| The Stars had lost their previous four matches, conceding a total of 13 goals and not scoring any. | The Stars had lost their previous four matches, conceding a total of 13 goals and not scoring any. |
| FFA chief executive David Gallop welcomed the work of the police and Sportradar. | FFA chief executive David Gallop welcomed the work of the police and Sportradar. |
| "This highlights the fact that lower league games, which aren't under the scrutiny of things like TV broadcasts, are potentially more susceptible to this kind of activity," Gallop said. | "This highlights the fact that lower league games, which aren't under the scrutiny of things like TV broadcasts, are potentially more susceptible to this kind of activity," Gallop said. |
| "What we can say is the detection measures that we've had in place have worked, and that is a sign we're working in the right direction." | "What we can say is the detection measures that we've had in place have worked, and that is a sign we're working in the right direction." |
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