The French Financial Prosecutor (PNF) is currently investigating allegations of match-fixing involving French team, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Serbian team, Red Star Belgrade. PSG and Red Star are allegedly involved in match-fixing when they meet in a Champions League match on Wednesday (3/10).
A Red Star official allegedly placed a bet of 5.1 million euros for Red Star to lose by five goals. The match ended in a 6-1 score for PSG's victory. Red Star indeed lost by five goals. If the allegation about him placed a bet is true then we really need to be suspicious with the match result.
This alleged match-fixing was first reported by the French media, L'Equipe. Since the evidence reported by L'Equipe was strong enough, UEFA immediately followed up the case.
PNF has not denied nor confirmed anything about the case. It is still investigating a number of players and officials. Even so, PSG and Red Star have rejected all accusations of match-fixing.
Both teams denied any accusations. Red Star with highest anger rejects the story, while PSG denies any direct or indirect involvement with the case.
A PSG player Marco Verratti doubts that PSG involved in this case because his team put a great performance on the match and it's not the first time that PSG won by five goals.
Be it a match-fixing or not, it's unethical for players and officials to place a bet on a match they are involved in, because it will cause conflict of interest and may affect the result of the match.
This kind of thing is not a unique problem in sports world, in financial world we have diction for this: insider trading. In sports world maybe we can call it insider betting, where bettors can misuse inside information for their personal gains. Moreover, it's not only information that they can misuse, but they (players and officials) can actively fix the match and set the score.
What do you think of players and officials place a bet on a match they are involved in?
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