Three A-league Football Stars Caught in Betting Sting
The New South Wales Police has arrested three Australian A-League players over betting corruption allegations.
The investigations revealed that A-league captain Dávila allegedly orchestrated yellow cards during specific matches for illegal profits.
LISTEN TO THIS ARTICLE:In separate raids, three players from Macarthur FC, identified by local press as Captain Ulises Dávila, Clayton Lewis, and Kearyn Baccus, were taken into custody and charged with match-fixing and corruption-related offenses.
The arrests follow an investigation by the NSW Police Organised Crime Squad's Gaming Unit and the UK Gambling Commission into suspected yellow card manipulation by players of the professional football club based in Sydney.
The investigations uncovered that Dávila had been allegedly getting instructions from a South American associate to orchestrate yellow cards during specific matches in exchange for illegal gains. He reportedly bribed younger teammates with up to 10,000 Australian dollars ($6,500) to intentionally receive yellow cards during games.
The alleged match-fixing incidents are said to have occurred during four specific games: November 24, 2023, December 9, 2023, April 20, 2024, and May 4, 2024.
According to the police, Dávila, 33, faces two counts of engaging in conduct that corrupts the outcome of a betting event and two counts of facilitating such conduct. The two other players will be charged with engaging in conduct that corrupts the outcome of a betting event.
All three players have been formally charged and granted bail. They are scheduled to appear in court at later dates.
We took action today because we were concerned that the principles involved in this matter would have left our shores in the coming days and weeks.
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Match-Fixing Probe Still Ongoing
Fitzgerald also clarified that currently, there is no evidence to suggest that players from other clubs were involved in the scandal. However, a player who was not in the state at the time of the arrests is being sought for questioning in connection with the probe.
The police confirm that the investigation into the alleged scheme and other possible corruption related to match-fixing and sports betting is still ongoing. Law enforcement is collaborating with several agencies, including the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission, Sports Integrity Australia, Football Australia, and the Australian Professional Leagues.
It's extremely unfortunate that the actions of only several people have severely damaged the integrity of a game that so many people around the world love and so many people are passionate about. These people are fortunate to be in a position where they're, in some cases, paid a lot of money to do something they love, and unfortunately, their [alleged] actions—they've taken advantage of that position and brought down the integrity of not only themselves and the club that they play for but unfortunately the sport.
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