Back to match-fixing.  Two pieces of good news and a sigh.

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Good news.

The new book – The Insider’s Guide to Match-Fixing – is out on hard-copy.  You can order it here: http://amzn.to/19txlJN

They promise to deliver it by Christmas. I hope so!

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Sigh.

There is no match-fixing in the UK.

How do we know?

Because the UK bookmakers and football officials are telling us.

How do they know?

Remember these are the some of the people who for years denied that match-fixing could be happening in the UK.

Remember these are some of the people who slept for years as the rest of the sporting world geared up to deal with the problem of match-fixing.

Remember these are some of the people who came to the international conferences on match-fixing.  Meetings where other European football officials were trying to do something about the problems of fixing. The British football officials’ response?

“It could not happen in Britain.”

Why not?  Do you have a well-resourced integrity officer?  An anonymous hot-line for players and referees to report potential corruption? Do you have any serious and credible defense against match-fixing that other European countries do not possess?

“No. It could just not happen in Britain.”

Now that the excellent investigations at the Telegraph and Sun on Sunday have shown that is at least enough evidence of match-fixing to start police investigations, they tell us that there is no morematch-fixing in the UK.   We are not sure why they are telling us this purported fact.  We are supposed to take it on their word that there are no more cases of fixing.

Here is the rub for any thinking British football fan. The response by the British Football Associations to match-fixing has been so bad that FIFA is far better.   Imagine.    FIFA the association almost synonymously with corruption scandals is better at fighting match-fixing than British Football Associations.  Sigh.  Says it all really.

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UEFA’s proposed 11-point plan.

Good.

At least UEFA is trying to do something.   Alone of the major sporting agencies they have over the last five years fought hard against match-fixing.

I have not agreed with all their actions (who does?) but in general UEFA have been excellent in fighting fixing.  Please again British Football Associations take note.