League of Ireland First Division side Athlone Town is being investigated by the FA of Ireland over "irregular betting patterns" during its 3-1 loss to Longford Town on Saturday, according to Ronan Early of the LONDON TIMES. The FAI said that it had "launched an investigation into Athlone Town AFC regarding potential breaches of FAI rules." It added in a statement, "A detailed report has been received from Uefa highlighting irregular betting patterns around the club’s SSE Airtricity League First Division game with Longford Town. In its report to the FAI, which was received on Tuesday, Uefa presented analysis which demonstrated the irregular betting patterns on international markets." The FAI said that it had written to both clubs involved in the fixture. The organization said, "Interviews will take place with players, coaches and officials of Athlone Town AFC commencing Monday, May 8." Athlone Town said that it would "cooperate with the investigation" (LONDON TIMES, 5/4). RTÉ reported Athlone Town said that it was "absolutely shocked" to find that it was "embroiled in a match-fixing scandal." The club said in a statement, "The board and the management committee of Athlone Town AFC are absolutely shocked by the contents of documentation forwarded to us by the FAI and UEFA concerning our recent First Division game against Longford Town. The club absolutely abhors match fixing and would never knowingly get involved in such unacceptable activity" (RTÉ, 5/3).
SUSPICIOUS ODDS: In Dublin, Cormac Byrne reported irregular betting patterns surrounding a late goal conceded by Athlone Town in the 3-1 defeat to Longford Town "sparked the investigation." With three minutes remaining in the game and Longford leading 2-1, "the odds on another goal being scored by either side was odds-on rather than odds-against." This would be "very unusual." The odds on a goal being scored with "so little time remaining would be higher." Anti-match-fixing organization Federbet, which has made presentations to the European Parliament, took to social media on Sunday to describe the odds on a fourth goal being scored as "crazy" (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 5/4).
