Watch the film that summarizes the consequences it may have for both sports in general and the individual who becomes involved in match-fixing or engages in illegal sports betting.
Consequences for sports in general
Sport is based on the idea of fair play, honesty, doing one's best and respecting each other. Match-fixing and betting on your own sporting performance go against this. Any athlete who participates, contributes, or refrains from reporting suspicions of match-fixing or illegal sports betting, contributes to the ruin of sport.
When the basic idea of sports is lost, there are several consequences:
Athletes and other actors in sport cannot trust each other.
Sporting clubs are affected negatively and will find it difficult to run their activities.
Respect for the performances and achievements of others is lost.
The willingness to train and compete decreases.
Sports will no longer be interesting to follow for spectators, TV viewers and sponsors.
Consequences for the individual
The offense of match-fixing is regulated both in legislation and in sports regulations. In addition to this, several actors are actively working to prevent both match-fixing and illegal sports betting. In this task you will get a summary of what you need to know as an athlete.
Among the most serious consequences for an athlete who chooses to take part in match-fixing or illegal sports betting are penalties in accordance to existing laws and regulations. In the last ten years, both sports regulations and legislation in these areas have been reinforced.
Here are the laws and rules primarily relevant to cases of match-fixing and illegal sports betting, and also the expected penalties for anyone who has committed such acts.
Match-fixing regulations
The sports regulations against illegal sports betting and the manipulation of sporting activities, also known as the Match-fixing regulations, are the Swedish Sports Confederation's regulations against match-fixing. These apply to all member sports federations of the Swedish Sports Confederation.
The regulations include:
Prohibition against participating in the manipulation of sporting activities.
Prohibition against attempting to participate in such manipulation.
Prohibition against betting on your own sporting performance, or on any other performances within the same league or competition.
Obligation to report any knowledge of manipulation and illegal sports betting.
In case of violation of these regulations, a person should be suspended for up to ten years. The suspension applies to all sports.
Please note that certain sports federations and league organisations may have even stricter limitations and consequences in their own regulations. As an athlete, it is your obligation to have knowledge of the regulations within which you operate.
Crime linked to match-fixing
Match-fixing is a criminal offence, classified as gambling fraud in the Gambling Act. The law applies to anyone who influences an event or occurrence in a sport in connection to bets on offer. Anyone convicted of a crime under this law can face up to two years in prison. If the crime is considered serious, it can result in up to six years in prison. The classification of this crime also includes attempt or preparation of match-fixing.
Match-fixing can also be linked to other forms of crime, usually giving and/or taking a bribe, i.e. bribery. This crime means that a person receives money, or some sort of gift or benefit, from another person who wants to gain an advantage of some kind.
If, for example, a coach of an individual athlete or a team gives or offers to give money to a referee in order for the referee to rule favourably for the athlete or team, the coach has committed a bribery offence. If the referee in turn has accepted the offer, the referee has also committed the crime. This also applies if people who offer bribes are outside the sport.
Other examples of crimes that may be linked to match-fixing are unlawful coercion, unlawful threats, assault and extortion.
The work against match-fixing
In Sweden, several actors are actively working to combat match-fixing and illegal sports betting. You will now learn about that work, how match-fixing is detected and which actors are the most involved in that work.
Cooperation
There are many actors involved in the collaborative effort to combat match-fixing, particularly the sports movement itself, the Swedish Police Authority, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the gambling industry and the Swedish Gambling Inspectorate. Within the sports movement, there is a network of people in charge of these issues. They work closely with each other and above all with the police and the betting companies. The work includes an operational function where information is shared about suspicions of match-fixing, and also a strategic function that aims to create awareness of the issue and develop more effective structures.
How are match-fixing and illegal sports betting detected?
There are several ways of detecting match-fixing, and the information is usually a combination of things:
Monitoring the gambling market. Deviations in gambling markets where large sums of money are wagered on sports that are manipulated can be detected and reported to the police and sports organisations.
Information from the betting companies. Betting companies report information on betting, deviating gambling patterns and deposits of money on the objects they offer.
Whistleblowing. Information from people, often within sports, who report to the police or to those in management positions in sports.