10 water polo players and coach admit betting charges and are sanctioned

A waterpolo coach and 10 players have been handed suspensions and fines by World Aquatics after they admitted to breaching the Integrity Code following an international investigation.

The Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) within World Aquatics issued the sanctions on Wednesday, handing a series of suspensions, fines, and therapy mandates to 11 individuals after confirming that they repeatedly broke sport integrity rules. 

The sanctions bring to an end a six-month saga that began in January, when the Authority for Integrity in Maltese Sports (AIMS) flagged suspicious online gambling activity during the European Water Polo Championships finals.

In its deliberation on the case, the AQIU found no evidence of match-fixing but found that the 10 players and coach all breached the World Aquatics Integrity Code by placing online wagers on water polo events while registered as active athletes or personnel. 

Who are the players involved?

Jeremy Abela, 27, and Ben Plumpton, 28, were initially suspended for four months but had their bans reduced to one month, with the other three months suspended provided they did not commit another breach over the next two years.

Abela and Plumpton must also undergo treatment for gambling addiction. Jake Tanti, 27, Jake Bonavia, 23, and Liam Galea, 25, were also initially handed a four-month ban, which has also now been reduced to one month. The other three months and a $750 fine was suspended and will only come into effect if they commit another breach of the Integrity Code or World Aquatics rules within the next two years.

Alec Fenech, 20, Dean Bugeja, 24, Kyle Navarro, Aidan Muscat, 22, Jacob Saliba, 23, and coach Matthew Pace, 37, all received a suspended three-month ban, which will take effect if they commit another breach of the Integrity Code or World Aquatics rules within the next two years.

The Aquatics Integrity Unit within World Aquatics have been investigating since suspicions were flagged in January. Photo: Dominic Aquilina

The players that have received an effective suspension are ruled out of their club commitments in the ASA’s Summer Championships until the semi-final stage of the competition.

World Aquatics ruled that, considering the nature of the infringement and to safeguard the integrity of the competition, they are not permitted to attend any aquatics-related events, including their club’s matches, even as a spectator in the stands.

The suspended players are also not permitted to train with their club during the period of suspension, nor train in the same venue while an official match or other aquatics-related event is taking place, including in an adjacent pool within the same facility. 

They will also "participate in educational and awareness initiatives over the next five years" to "strengthen understanding of betting-related integrity risks", the AQIU said. 

The initial reports rocked the local sporting community with allegations that national team players were placing bets on their own tournament fixtures – specifically intending to manipulate goal differences in matches against heavyweights like Montenegro – while competing at the European Water Polo Championships in Belgrade, Serbia.

A subsequent Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) report revealed that up to 15 individuals were tied to a profits cluster of bets.

Betting on any aquatics discipline is strictly banned under the World Aquatics Integrity Code.