FAI and PFAI line up blanket betting ban
Thursday November 13 2008
LEAGUE of Ireland footballers are set to be officially forbidden from betting on any domestic match from next season, whether their own club is involved or not.
The PFAI and FAI have been in discussions about inserting a clause into the standard players' contract warning them that they are not allowed to place a bet on any game under the jurisdiction of the League of Ireland.
If they are found to have done so, then they will be subject to sanctions that have yet to be thrashed out, but which are likely to include lengthy bans and large fines.
The issue has sprung to life over the past fortnight, with St Patrick's Athletic midfielder Gary Dempsey currently awaiting his punishment for placing a €20 double bet on the Saints to lose a league match that he wasn't involved in against Galway United, coupled with an English Premier League match bet.
While acknowledging that Dempsey made a mistake, the PFAI argue that the FAI's current rules extend only to matches that players actually take part in.
More alarming, however, were the allegations surrounding the First Division match between Monaghan United and Longford Town where an unusual amount of bets were struck on a win for the Ulster side. The investigation into that match is continuing.
Amid general concerns being expressed about a gambling culture that exists within the league, the authorities have taken the step to try and stamp it out completely.
"We are looking to have it inserted in the players' contract that they cannot bet on any league or FAI affiliated games," said PFAI chief Stephen McGuinness.
"It means that we can't have a situation in future where a player has a bet and says he didn't realise that he was doing anything wrong. If we get this agreed then it will be in every single player's contract that they cannot do so."
The FAI have also been looking at lobbying bookmakers to remove single betting on league games and revert to the old system where only accumulators were legal.
However, the gambling industry has grown enormously since then, with single bets available on a number of junior leagues around the country.
- Daniel McDonnell
