Spanish police arrested 34 people "with alleged links to a tennis match-fixing ring suspected of manipulating bets in tournaments across Spain and Portugal," the Interior Ministry said on Thursday, according to Amanda Calvo of REUTERS. The detainees include six tennis players and "two ring leaders who allegedly worked together to throw matches in at least 17 sporting events" with estimated takings of over €500,000 ($532,000), according to the Interior Ministry. The ministry "did not name those who had been arrested" (REUTERS, 12/1). The BBC reported a police spokesperson said that players were offered between €500 ($530) and €1,000 ($1,060) to throw matches. The spokesperson added, "Sometimes they promised €500 and in the end only paid €50 ($53). The players were above all the victims." The players involved "are relatively lower-ranked -- all are outside the top 800 worldwide." In January, a joint investigation by the BBC and Buzzfeed News found "widespread evidence of match-fixing at the top levels of world tennis" (BBC, 12/1).
'HIGH VOLUME OF BETS': In Madrid, Fernando M. Carreño reported initial suspicions arose in '13 after a player "offered to lose a match but was caught." The investigation began in a Madrid Court "and then passed to one in Seville where the detection of bribes have been registered." Police officers said, "We saw abnormal movements with a high volume of bets." A group created on Twitter "was in charge of rigging matches by contacting tennis players and offering them a certain amount of money." Police sources highlighted one group of young tennis players, "another made up of veterans who were dedicated to exploiting the game," and a third group that provided the betting accounts and coverage. Most of the bets were made through Bet365, "a betting house that is an affected party" and usually works with the Spanish Tennis Federation (RFET). Those accused of corruption in the sport face from six months to four years in prison "but at the moment the detainees are released at the expense of clarifying everything." In '16, 39 Int'l Tennis Federation Futures players "have participated in the men's category in Spain," of which only four have surpassed €9,413 ($10,000). Of the 23 active players in the female category, "only two have reached that ceiling in terms of prize money" (MARCA, 12/1). Carreño reported in a separate piece the RFET spoke out in a statement "against the authorization of Internet bets on Futures tournaments." The organization said in the statement, "The RFET wants to express its support for the work done by the Civil Guard to end match-fixing, no matter the competition or level." RFET President Miguel Díaz "said that bets on Futures matches should disappear" because it is "very easy for a mafia to come and impact this type of match, this is why I have always said that this type of betting should be prohibited by the ITF" (MARCA, 12/1).
