UEFA to make match-fixing a priority

UEFA is drafting an 11-point plan aimed at match-fixing which will be sent to all 54 European football associations.

Europe’s governing body expects to have the plan ready for the UEFA Congress in March 2014.

Recent cases in the United Kingdom have seen former English Premier League player DJ Campbell questioned by police in connection to alleged match fixing.

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said the body wanted uniform penalties across Europe.

“For UEFA , the fight against match fixing is a top priority,” he told reporters. “UEFA have a policy of zero tolerance against match fixing but it is important that all over Europe there is as uniform as possible approach against match fixing.

“The executive committee is requesting that all associations to have concrete and effective policies to fight against match fixing, that these policies should be consistent and uniform. Also what we want to strengthen is the partnership between sport’s bodies and state authorities because this is crucial in the fight against match fixing.”

Infantino said UEFA was monitoring 32,000 matches per year, with ‘0.7 percent’ causing ‘some suspicion’.

A minuscule figure, but that still means that more than 200 matches per year that have come under suspicion. A sobering thought when you consider that Europe is the most monitored region in the entire football world.