Match fixing

Blackburn striker DJ Campbell is one of six
men in police custody following new
match-fixing allegations in football.
Rovers confirmed the 32-year-old has been
arrested as the National Crime Agency
investigate fresh spot-fixing claims following
an undercover newspaper operation.
The NCA is examining evidence provided by
the Sun on Sunday, who filmed former
Portsmouth defender Sam Sodje claiming he
received £70,000 for getting himself sent off
in a League One fixture last season.
Sodje was shown a red card after he twice
punched Oldham's Jose Baxter in the groin,
and he admitted receiving a substantial
reward to the undercover reporter.
He also told the reporter he knew current
players who would be willing to get booked in
return for cash, and hinted he could rig
matches at next summer's World Cup finals.
Campbell incurred a yellow card in the
Championship clash against Ipswich last week
- an incident which is believed to be at the
centre of police enquiries.
A Blackburn statement read: "Following
reports in the national media, Blackburn
Rovers can confirm that striker DJ Campbell
has been arrested. The club will be making no
further comment on what is now an ongoing
legal matter."
The Professional Footballers' Association said:
"These allegations, if proven, unfortunately
demonstrate the real issue football faces in
terms of corruption and highlights the
necessity of the work carried out by the PFA
and other stakeholders in the game in
educating players of these risks.
"We take the issue of integrity very seriously
and will continue in our efforts to eradicate
this evil from our game."
Sodje, who was released by Pompey at the
end of the season and remains a free agent,
is also believed to be in police custody along
with Oldham midfielder Cristian Montano.
The Colombian winger was filmed claiming
that he agreed to get himself booked in
return for cash, although he failed to incur a
yellow card in the fixture against Wolves in
October.
Betting expert Scott Ferguson told Sky Sports
News that players at the lower end of the
professional game are easy prey for corrupt
bookmakers.
"You have players lower down the league who
may be one bad tackle away from the end of
their career," he said. "They've been with
various clubs for years and their still
struggling to make it pay.
"It wouldn't take much searching to find
people who might not have such a strong
ethical background as they once did."
Portsmouth have
said they are
"shocked and
saddened" by the
allegations, while
Oldham have also
vowed to co-operate
fully with the police.
Pompey spokesman Colin Farmery said: "If
these serious allegations are true then we are
extremely shocked and saddened by them, as
match-fixing of any type goes to the heart of
the integrity of the game.
"The player in question no longer plays for
the club and we have not been contacted by
the authorities, but of course we would co-
operate fully with any inquiry."
Oldham said in a statement: "Oldham Athletic
Football Club has been made aware of the
incident and allegation surrounding one of its
players, Cristian Montano. The club will
commence an immediate internal
investigation to establish all the relevant facts
of the case.
"The club is co-operating with other agencies
in this matter and cannot comment on
specific facts at this stage."
The NCA is already carrying out a separate
investigation into an alleged international
illegal betting syndicate.
Non-league Michael Boateng and Hakeem
Adelakun, both 22, were charged this week
with conspiracy to defraud contrary to
common law.
The pair, who played for Conference South
club Whitehawk FC in Brighton, were sacked
by their club and will appear in court on
Wednesday.
Two other men, Chann Sankaran and Krishna
Sanjey Ganeshan, were charged last month
with plotting to defraud bookmakers and will
also appear in court this week.