National Rugby League Match-Fixing Scandal Reignites As Players Face Sydney Court

The National Rugby League's most sensational match-fixing scandal "is set to be played out again with three key players behind a massive betting plunge" on a Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys match to face a Sydney court, according to Kate McClymont of the SYDNEY MORNING HERALD. Just weeks after the Australian Crime Commission released a "damning" report warning of the threat of match-fixing in sport, the case involving rugby league identity John Elias, former Parramatta player Brad Murray, and Jai Ayoub, the son of Murray Manager Sam Ayoub, "will be before the Downing Centre Criminal Court on Wednesday." The Director of Public Prosecutions "is seeking a joint trial for the three over their alleged role in the betting plunge on the Cowboys to open the scoring by a penalty kick in their match against the Canterbury Bulldogs" in Aug. '10. Justice Fullerton noted that "the prosecution case was that Bulldogs player Ryan Tandy manipulated the game by giving away a penalty to the Cowboys early in the game." Tandy "is the only person in Australian history to be convicted of match fixing." He escaped prison but was fined A$4,000 ($4,065) for attempting to ''gain financial advantage by deception" (SMH, 3/5).