Arsène Wenger Says English Football Is '99.9%' Clean Of Match-Fixing

Wenger Says English Football Is '99.9%' Clean Of Match-Fixing

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger warned match-fixing will probably never be completely eradicated across the globe and accepts lower league teams in England could be vulnerable.

The National Crime Agency said the men, who are alleged to be members of an international illegal betting syndicate based in Singapore, are among six people arrested earlier this week as part of an ongoing investigation.

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Wenger does not believe match-fixing can be completely eradicated

Wenger has first-hand experience of the impact match-fixing can have from his time in charge of Monaco when French champions and 1993 European Cup winners Marseille were found guilty of corruption, relegated and thrown out of European competition by UEFA.

The Arsenal manager feels the hard work against such illegal actions must continue in earnest.

"Can it be eradicated completely? I am not sure. It is not only a concern for me, it is a shame," Wenger said. "Once you don't know if everyone is genuine out there any more, that is something absolutely disastrous.

"I think we absolutely have to fight against that with the strongest severity to get that out of the game. Maybe the lower divisions are a bit more under threat because it is a bit more anonymous, there is less money so it is easier to buy people, but I don't think that exists in the Premier League at all."

It is alleged that between 1 November and 26 November, Chann Sankaran, a 33-year-old Singapore national, and Krishna Sanjey Ganeshan, a 43-year-old with dual UK and Singapore nationality "at City of Manchester and elsewhere conspired together with each other and others to defraud bookmakers by influencing the course of football matches and placing bets thereon".

Match-fixing controversies
Soccer - FA Carling Premiership - West Ham United v Crystal Palace (01 of08)
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In February 1999, a Malaysian-based betting syndicate was caught attempting to install a remote-control device to sabotage the floodlights at Charlton Athletic's ground with the aid of a corrupt security officer. If the match had been abandoned after half-time, the result and bets would have stood... (credit:PA)
Selhurst Park/floodlights failure(02 of08)
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Subsequent investigations revealed the same gang had been responsible for previously unsuspected "floodlight failures" at West Ham's ground in November 1997 and a month later during Wimbledon's match with Arsenal at Selhurst Park. (credit:PA)
Former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje(03 of08)
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CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE 15: Former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje raises his hand to take the oath prior to testifying before the King Commission of Inquiry into allegations of cricket match-fixing in Cape Town 15 June 2000. Cronje confessed to pocketing large sums of money during a five-year flirtation with bookmakers and vowed that he would not play representative cricket again as punishment. (Photo credit should read ANNA ZIEMINSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Hoyzer Sentenced to Two Years(04 of08)
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BERLIN - NOVEMBER 17: Former German soccer referee Robert Hoyzer leaves court after receiving a two-year and five-month sentence November 17, 2005 on the tenth and final day of hearings in Berlin, Germany. Hoyzer took payments from a Croatian-led betting ring to manipulate four soccer matches in one of Germany's worst-ever soccer scandals. (Photo by Sean Gallup/Bongarts/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
Juventus' general director Luciano Moggi(05 of08)
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Bari, ITALY: Juventus' general director Luciano Moggi phones as he leaves the San Nicola stadium in Bari after the Italian serie A football match Reggina vs Juventus, 14 May 2006. Luciano Moggi resigned after Juventus claimed their 29th Serie A title with a 2-0 win away to Reggina on the final day of the season. (credit:Getty Images)
(06 of08)
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In July 2007 it was revealed NBA referee Tim Donaghy had gambled on 10 to 15 games, including games which he officiated. Donaghy was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison. (credit:Getty Images)
Spot-fixing, 2010(07 of08)
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Undercover reporters from News of the World secretly videotaped Mazhar Majeed accepting money and informing the reporters that fast bowlers Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir would deliberately bowl no balls at specific points in England's innings.The no balls were duly bowled at the exact stages predicted, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) banned Asif, Amir and Salman Butt for terms of between five and 10 years.In November 2011, Butt and Asif were found guilty by a London court on criminal charges relating to spot-fixing. Amir and Majeed had entered guilty pleas on the same charges. All four were given prison sentences, ranging from six months to 32 months.
Snooker - Stephen Lee Filer(08 of08)
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Stephen Lee was banned for 12 years after being found guilty of seven match-fixing charges earlier this year. (credit:PA)

The maximum sentence for this offence is 10 years' imprisonment.

It emerged on Thursday that a former Premier League footballer, Delroy Facey, was among those arrested held as part of the investigation.

The suspects are reported to include three current footballers.

The arrests were made following an investigation by the Daily Telegraph during which undercover reporters discussed the possibility of influencing the scores and outcomes of lower-league English games for as little as £50,000.

It is not believed that any Premier League sides are involved in the allegations.

Wenger is confident England generally has a robust approach to such illegal approaches.

"I don't believe that in England people fix matches, but we live in an international world and you cannot just stop it at the border any more. It is a new problem that we all face," he added.

"I still think that 99.9 per cent, the English game is completely clean.

"When you see the happiness of the players when they score goals, even in the lower divisions, the passion of the fans when I was at Barnet for example, I can't believe there is a match-fixing problem in England."

Wenger believes direct comparisons between the current issues and those at Marseille cannot be made.

"That was much more serious," he said. "It was a period where European football was not clean, for different reasons, but I hope we have that behind us.

"Personally, it was one of the most difficult periods in my life, but I think even in France now, the championship is completely clean."