Asia: match-fixing down 21% over the last six years

“The preventive measures we’ve introduced have produced positive results”, said the AFC General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs.

Asia.- The Asian Football Confederation has revealed match-fixing across the region has fallen 21 percent over the past six years.

Data to support the drop was provided by Sportradar and proves the confederations efforts to combat match-fixing are having a positive impact.

Benoit Pasquier, AFC General Counsel and Director of Legal Affairs, said that Sportradar had played a significant role in the reduction of match-fixing related incidences and illicit activity. 

“From 2016 we’ve witnessed a decline in match-fixing across Asia by 21 percent and with our efforts in tandem with Sportradar, the preventive measures we’ve introduced have produced positive results,”he told mews agency Reuters..

Oscar Brodkin, Director of Intelligence and Investigation Services at Sportradar, added: “Most of Asia sits in the sweet spot of low wages and high coverage and is, therefore, one of the highest risk areas.

“Player wages in Asia are generally lower compared to places such as Europe but paired with the growing viewership of football in the region, leads to higher stakes allowed on the betting market and thus the opportunity for large-scale fraud.”