Match-fixing is not only the biggest threat to organised sport, it is also a societal ailment on a much broader scale, comprising of far-reaching crime syndicates targeting players, as pawns.

Historically, sport governing bodies and law enforcement, have been trying to tackle this corruption by providing harsh punishments for the people at the very bottom of the crime chain. These are often, players, referees, or club officials, who have been approached by seedy individuals and who may, or may not, have been threatened to comply.

Moreover, FIFA rules also impose heavy sporting sanctions on players who, despite refusing to participate in match-fixing, do not report the approach within a strict timeframe.

Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta