The Fix: Soccer and Organized Crime
Page 34
Background on 21st Century Association:
Friedman, Robert. Red Mafiya: How the Russian Mob has invaded America. London:
Little, Brown and Company, 2000. 115, 125, 130, 154, 194–195.
See also Baranovsky, Igor. “Mafia: Young Wolves vs. ‘Authorities,’” Moscow News (Moscow). October 1, 1993. No. 40
Trifonov, Vladislav. “Kvantrishvili Killed by Soldier.” Kommersant (Moscow). June 14, 2006. Available at www.kommersant.com/page.asp?id=681819.
For general background on the Russian mob:
Handelman, Stephen. Comrade Criminal: The Theft of the Second Russian Revolution. London: Michael Joseph, 1994.
Kikalishvili’s activities in Florida:
Interview with LE 12, 20, May–June 1999.
Friedman, 154.
For Havelange’s connections with Castor de Andrade:
Renato, Claudio. “Havelange e Avalista Moral de Castor.” O Globo (São Paulo). April 9, 1994. 12.
Rodrigue, Ernesto. Jogo Duro, a História de João Havelange. Rio de Janeiro: Editora Record, 2007. 284–285.
Yallop, David. How They Stole the Game. London: Poetic Publishing, 1999. 73, 210.
Rocha, Jan. “Lottery Bribes Scandal Snares Rio’s Elite: Fifa’s President and the Police Figure on an Alleged Mafia Payroll,” Guardian (London). April 9, 1994. 16.
“most notorious capo …”
Vincent, Isabel. “Not Told of Probe, Suspect Complains.” Globe and Mail (Toronto). April 13, 1994.
For situation in Russian soccer:
Hansam, James. “Murder, Mystery and Suspensions in Moscow.” Evening Standard (London). February 6, 2001. 78.
Brennan, Dan. “Soccer Russian style.” Scotland on Sunday (Edinburgh). July 6, 2003.
For situation in Colombian soccer:
Interview with O7, January 2008.
Macalister Hall, Malcolm. “Hero, Scapegoat, Martyr.” Mail on Sunday (London). April 19, 1999. 11–13.
Price, S.L. “Shadow of Shame: The Specter of Violent Drug Cartels Haunts the Formidable Colombian National Soccer Team.” Sports Illustrated (New York). May 23, 1994. Available at http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1005218/index.htm.
Information on TV program:
The documentary “Mafia Power Play” was broadcast on The Fifth Estate, CBC Television, October 6, 1999, and Frontline, PBS, October 10, 1999.
Explosion at 21st Century Headquarters:
Solovyova, Yulia. “Hotel Open for Business as Bombing Investigated.” Moscow Times (Moscow). April 28, 1999. Available at www.themoscowtimes.com/indexes/1999/04/28/01.html.
Background on Friedman and his work on the Russian mafia:
Friedman was called “The Best Investigative Reporter You’ve Never Heard Of” by Sherry Ricchiardi in the American Journalism Review, January/February 2000. Sadly, in 2002, Friedman died of an illness contracted while researching a story in India.
Pavel Bure:
Friedman, 173–201.
“Mafia Power Play.” Frontline. PBS TV, October 1999.
For background on other Russian hockey players:
Interviews with LE 20 and J 23, April 1999.
Joseph Kennedy’s bootlegging history is explored in:
Hersh, Seymour. The Dark Side of Camelot. London: Harper Collins, 1997. 44–60.
Russo, Gus. The Outfit: The Role of Chicago’s Underworld in the Shaping of Modern America. London: Bloomsbury, 2001. 359–362.
Hersh cites various eyewitnesses and also FBI documents linking Kennedy to the illegal booze supply to the mob. Russo cites an RCMP document from 1929 showing Kennedy as one of the suppliers to Al Capone.
Corruption in other sports:
Basketball: Both in U.S. college basketball (NCAA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA), there have been cases of professional gamblers attempting to fix games. The most recent and high-profile is the former NBA referee Tim Donaghy: see Bender, William, “Donaghy’s associates indicted in betting case.” Philadelphia Daily News (Philadelphia, PA). February 9, 2008. 42.
Cricket: A number of top cricket stars have been involved in fixing games in international matches with criminal bookies. For more information, see Judge El King, “Commission of Inquiry into Cricket Match Fixing and Related Matters, 2nd Interim Report,” Republic of South Africa, 2000; or Ganapathy, M.A., “Report on Cricket Match-Fixing and Related Malpractices,” New Delhi: CBI Special Crimes Branch – Central Bureau of Investigation, October 2000.
Tennis: A number of top tennis players from Russia’s Dmitry Tursunov to the U.K.’s Andy Murray to former U.S. great John McEnroe have discussed the presence of criminal fixers in the sport.
See Associated Press, “Tursunov Multiple Match Fixing, Bribe Offers,” September 28, 2007. Harman, Neil. “ATP Summons Andy Murray after Claims over Match-fixing.” The Times, (London). October 10, 2007. (On John McEnroe) Hodgkinson, Mark. “The Russian Mafia Could Be Involved. That’s Scary.” Daily Telegraph (London). December 7, 2007. 15.
CHAPTER 1: THE CONQUEST OF THE LOCUSTS
For Yang Zuwu’s walk-out:
Watts, Jonathan. “China Struggles to Quell Football Revolt: Country’s Most Popular Spectator Sport Rebels against Bribe-taking and Match-fixing.” Guardian (London). November 4, 2004. 19.
Shao Da. “Chinese Soccer on Defense.” China.org.cn. October 31, 2004
For general conditions in China Super League:
Interviews with Peter Velappan, former general secretary of AFC, June 2005 and May 2006.
See also “Velappan Warns Corruption Could Kill Football in China.” Agence France Presse. June 10, 2005.
Davis, James. “ ‘Black Whistle’ casts a shadow.” Observer (London). Sport, 9.
For accusations of China’s team in the World Cup, throwing games:
“China accused of match fixing.” Reuters. June 26, 2002.
For information on the “Black Whistle Scandal”:
“Black Whistle Fighter Remains Indomitable in Isolation.” Shanghai Star (Shanghai). July 3, 2002. Available at http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2002/0703/pr231.html.
Gittings, John. “Chinese Fans Riot at Ref’s Foul Decision.” Guardian (London). March 28, 2002. 20.
Soccer development in China, radioactive comment
Gidney, Charlie. “Football Development in China: It’s a Funny Old Game.” Available at www.chinalyst.net/node/14262. Retrieved May 21, 2007.
See www.chinasuperleague.com:
“More Black Whistles Blown.” January 19, 2002.
“CFA Response Imminent.” January 23, 2002.
“Newspaper Makes ‘Black Whistle’ Revelations.” February 1, 2002.
“‘Black Whistle’ Arrested.” April 18, 2002.
“Chinese Referee Jailed for Ten Years.” January 29, 2003.
For Sepp Blatter’s idea on young players being sent to Asia:
Kynge, James. “Send Football’s Young Stars to Play in Asia, Says FIFA Chief.” Financial Times (London). July 17–18, 2004. 10.
For the booing in the stadium:
Interview with Peter Velappan, June 2005 and May 2006.
See also Xianfeng Chen and Fei Li. “AFC Official Apologizes for Tirade of Misunderstanding.” China Daily (Beijing). July 20, 2004.
Available at www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004/07/20/content_34975/1.htm.
“Beijing Olympics Questioned as Asian Cup Opens Amid Uproar.” Agence France Presse. July 18, 2004.
In an interview with Sepp Blatter, February 2008, he denied that any riot, booing, or confrontation occurred at the stadium.
For information on Hong Kong players fixing:
Stewart, Anne. “Footballers’ Confessions Admissible.” South China Morning Post (Hong Kong). February 12, 1999. 6.
Staff writer. “Football Match-fixer Tells of Sorrow for Former Teammates.” Hong Kong Standard (Hong Kong). February 11, 1999.
Speech by Deputy Commissioner Tony Kwok. “Sharing 25 Years’ Experience in Law
Enforcement Fighting Corruption & Organized Crime.” ICAC, Hong Kong, 22nd International Asian Organized Crime Conference.
Indonesian Referee’s Mafia:
Staff writer. “PSSI Believes report on Collusion Practices.” Jakarta Post (Jakarta). February 21, 1998. News.
“Betting.” Agence France Presse. May 18, 1999.
Match-fixing in Vietnam and the Nam Cam case:
Nam Cam engaged in a wide range of corrupt activities, and one of the charges on which he was convicted was of fixing football matches. There are many articles on other match-fixing scandals in Vietnam; one case even sparked a World Bank investigation. Two other typical ones are:
Staff writer. “Vietnam Football Needs to Be Clean to Grow.” Agence France Presse. October 12, 2002.
Staff writer. “Match-fixing Scam in Vietnam.” Agence France Presse. October 30, 2002.
Bruce Grobbelaar quote in:
Grobbelaar vs. News Group Newspapers Ltd and another, Court of Appeal (Civil Division), 18 January 2001, paragraph 178.
For an excellent overview of the entire Grobbelaar case, see Thomas, David, Foul Play: The Inside Story of the Biggest Corruption Trial in British Sporting History. London: Bantam, 2003.
For violence by the fixers, see:
Mcdonnell, David. “One Player Died in a Mysterious Accident and Another Found a Cobra in His Car.” Daily Mail (London). March 30, 1999. 77.
Also interviews with P 2–13, J 4–9, LE 1–5, SO 1–10, April to May, November to December 2005; May 2006.
The Rambo-knife incident is from a confession made to the police by the player, shared with me by the Malaysian police in May 2005.
“We know where your granny shops …”
Interview with SO 9, June 2005.
For foundation of league and its subsequent collapse:
Seneviratne, Percy. “History of Football in Malaysia.” Kuala Lumpur: PNS Publishing, 2000. Published with assistance of the Football Association of Malaysia.
Interviews with SO 1, 3, 4, and 8, in both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, April to June, 2005.
Williams, Russ. Football Babylon 2. London: Virgin Books, 1998. 109–126.
“I worked a couple of times for the bookies …”
Interviews with J 3, 8, and 9, May 2005, December 2005, May 2006.
For background on Johnson Fernandez and Lazarus Rokk:
Interviews with J 2, 3, and Fernandez and Rokk, May 2005 and May 2006.
“For years, we had been trying …”
“He was a great guy …”
“They use former players …”
Interviews with Fernandez and Rokk, May 2005.
“There were rumours all the time …”
“What happened with our mob …”
Interviews with Scott Ollerenshaw, December 2005, May 2006, November 2007.
Hansie Cronje
See Hansie Cronje’s statement before the Judge Edwin King Commission, June 15, 2000.
1919 Chicago White Sox fix
Asinof, Eliot. Eight Men Out: The Black Sox and the 1919 World Series. New York: Henry
Holt, 1987. See also the 1988 film by the same name, directed by John Sayles.
Liverpool vs. Manchester United 1915 fix
Inglis, Simon. Soccer in the Dock: A History of British Football Scandals, 1900–1965. London: Willow Books, 1985.
Sharpe, Graham. Free the Manchester United One: The Inside Story of Football’s Greatest Scam. London: Robson Books, 2003.
General information about networks and fixers strategies:
Interviews with P 7, 8, 9, 32; Cor 1–4; B 3; November, December 2005 and February 2008.
See also Fernandez, Johnson. “A Worldwide Plague.” Malay Mail (Kuala Lumpur). July 28, 1993. 74–75.
CHAPTER 2: “WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING?”
British repression of civil liberties in Malaysia:
For a critical view of Britain’s role in the Malaya war of the 1950, see Purcell, Victor, Malaya: Communist or Free” London: Victor Gollancz, 1954. Purcell was a former British Army officer turned colonial civil servant who revisited Malaysia in 1952, describing it as, “a vast armed camp in which no one could call his soul his own …”
The other side of the argument can be seen in Parkinson, C. Northcote, Templer in Malaya. Singapore: Donald Moore, 1954; also the entertaining but dated Brigadier Richard Miers, Shoot to Kill. London: Faber and Faber, 1959.
See also Short, Anthony. The Communist Insurrection in Malaya: 1948–1960. London: Frederick Muller Limited, 1975. 295–96 and 380–87.
Malaysian repression of civil liberties:
Amnesty International Report. Another Guantanamo in Malaysia? May 26, 2006.
The Anwar Ibrahim Case:
The intelligence officer testified: “Basically we do a quick assessment on our target [a prisoner], then we see how the possibilities are to turn over their stand. If it is a certain political stand, we may neutralize the stand if it is a security threat. It is known in the Special Branch as a turning-over operation. The procedure is to turn them over so that they will change their stand … My Lord, [to the judge] this is a Special Branch secret. It is a great secret.” (“Malaysia’s Intelligence Chief tells Anwar Trial He would lie,” CNN Kuala Lumpur, November 5, 1998. Available at www.cnn.com/WORLD/asiapcf/9811/05/anwar.02/.)
See also Pereira, Brendan. “Ex-Special Branch director asked about ‘trade secrets.’” The Straits Times (Singapore). November 5, 1998. 26.
For details of Operation Bola:
Williams, 1998. 112–130.
“‘Drastic’ Action Vowed if Soccer Corruption Not Curbed.” Associated Press. July 5, 1995.
“Three More Picked up for Alleged Match-fixing.” New Straits Times (Singapore). March 12, 1995. 8.
“Six Malaysian Footballers Banned for Life for Match fixing.” Agence France Presse. November 16, 1995.
Veera, R.V., Navaratnam, C., Nambiar, Ravi. “Almost an Entire State Team to Be Banished.” New Straits Times (Singapore). February 16, 1995. 1.
“World Soccer Body Seeks Assurance Tournament Won’t Be Fixed.” Associated Press. April 21, 1995.
Rafiq Saad’s confession:
From the Royal Malaysian Police files.
Genoa versus Venice Fixed Match:
Preziosi, Enrico. “Una Chiamata Durante la Partita.” Associated Press. 24 June 2005.
Dellacasa, Erika. “Ecco la Telefonata Che Mette Nei Guai Il Genoa.” Corriere Della Sera (Milan). June 24, 2005. Available at www.corriere.it/Primo_Piano/Sport/2005/06_Giugno/24/genoa.shtml.
Hawkey, Ian. “Genoa’s Top Flight Dreams Rest on a Pile of Cash.” Sunday Times (London). July 3, 2005. 57.
Bologna versus Juventus Fixed Match:
Petrini, Carlo. Nel fango del dio Pallone. Milan: Kaos Edizione, 2000. 110–112.
Canada versus North Korea Fixed Match:
See McKeown, Bob. The Fifth Estate. CBC Television. October 10, 1989.
Interview with Paul James, December 2005. Note: Paul James was in no way involved in fixing the game. Rather, his courageous stand brought the matter to light.
Finnish Goalkeeper Fixing Tactics:
Staff writers. “Kaksi Maalivahtia Kertoo IS Urheilulle, Että Lahjuksia on Tarjottu” and “Maalivahti Sami Sinkkonen: Kieltäydyin Kolmest Lahjukssta.” Ilta-Sanomat (Helsinki). December 12, (2005): 2– 3.
“There was one game …”
Interview with P 7, December 2005.
The Suicide Pass:
Borristow, Michael, Bernard Jordan, Harold Pendlebury, and Robert Greaves. “This Is the Way Soccer Matches Are Fixed.” Daily Mail (London). October 10, 1960. 1, 11.
“It was ridiculous mistakes”:
Interview with P 7, December 2005.
Fred Pagnam and “what he damn well meant …?”
Staff writer. “Players Suspension: Claims for Damages and an Injunction.” Daily Dispatch (London). July 6–7, 1917.
Players “buy time”:
Interview with C 3, December 2005.
CHAPTER 3: EXPERTS IN VERBAL BULLSHIT
Disappearance of Michael Vana:
Staff writer. “Singapore May Legalize Soccer Bets.” United Press International. April 1, 1996.
Miller, David. “Ex-national Striker, Club Manager Nabbed.” New Straits Times (Singapore). October 25, 1994. 1.
“The best player I have ever coached.”
Interview with SO 15, March 2006.
Despite being banned for life by FIFA, Michael Vana denied taking ever taking any bribes; see Staff writer. “Czech Soccer Player Rejects Bribery Charges.” CTK National News Wire (Prague). May 18, 1995.
There are all kinds of tales:
Interviews with J 8, 9; C 1, 2; SO 8, 10; B 3.
“I think the one that capped …”
Interview with SO 15, March 2006.
The Jackie Pallo story:
Pallo, Jackie “Mr. TV.” You Grunt, I’ll Groan: The Inside Story of Wrestling. London: Macdonald Queen Anne Press, 1985. 8–32.
“Also it is important for fighters to respond to one another’s moves …”
Pallo, 20.
“It is all the verbal bullshit …”
Interview with P 7, December 2005.
“Football is very subjective …”
Interview with LE 5, May 2005.
On Academic Economics:
For similar views expressed far more cogently, see the writings of the great Professor Terence Hutchison of the London School of Economics, particularly The Significance and Basic Postulates of Economic Theory (1938), still cited today, and Knowledge and Ignorance in Economics (1977).
Examples of investigative economics in sport:
Taylor, Beck A., and Justin G. Trogdon. “Losing to Win: Tournament Incentives in the National Basketball Association.” Journal of Labor Economics. 2002, vol. 20, issue 1. 23–41
Moul, Charles C., and John V. Nye. “Did the Soviets Collude? A Statistical Analysis of Championship Chess 1940–64.” Available at http://ssrn.com/abstract=905612. Retrieved May 2006.
Duggan, Mark, and Steven D. Levitt. “Winning Isn’t Everything: Corruption in Sumo Wrestling.” American Economic Review. 92.5 (2002): 594–605.