Arrests made over Welsh football match-fixing allegations

A total of 10 people have been arrested by South Wales Police in relation to an investigation into match fixing on a Welsh Premier League football match played last season.

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) referred the case to the Gambling Commission’s Sports Betting Intelligence Unit, before both parties passed on information to South Wales Police regarding betting patterns on the fixture between Port Talbot Town and Rhyl on 9 April.

This has led to the arrests of seven men and three women as part of an ongoing investigation from South Wales Police’s Economic Crime Unit, though no specific details were given as to their connection with the match and it has not been alleged that any players were complicit in any match-fixing plot.

Jonathan Ford, Chief Executive of the FAW, said: “These arrests are as result of a thorough process of evidence gathering and close co-operation between the FAW, South Wales Police and the Gambling Commission.

“The FAW remains committed to our Integrity Education Programme which began in 2014, as well as the monitoring and reporting systems we have in place which have contributed to these arrests.

“The FAW will not bring any sporting sanctions against any individuals while the police investigation is ongoing.”

ESSA, a representative body for sports-betting operators, reported five suspicious alerts related to football in the first half of 2016.