Top German policeman to tackle match-fixing
Reuters - Friday 02 March 2012, 12:59
FIFA named leading German
police official Ralf Mutschke on Friday as its director of
security to lead the fight against match-fixing.
The 52-year-old, senior manager at the German Federal
criminal police office (BKA) and a former Interpol director,
will replace Australian Chris Eaton who announced his
resignation two weeks ago.
Football's governing body said it would also be beefing up its
security department to confront the match-fixing threat.
"Mutschke will be... responsible for all security matters
related to FIFA competitions across the world, the global
security concepts for football in general, security around FIFA
headquarters in Zurich, the FIFA president and the FIFA
administration, as well as for matters related to the integrity
and protection of the game itself," said FIFA in a statement.
Mutschke, who has more than 30 years' experience at the BKA,
faces a huge task after his predecessor warned that the criminal
gangs behind match-fixing are infiltrating football by setting
up youth and refereeing training academies and buying clubs.
"For me, the main issue will be the integrity of FIFA
competitions," said Mutschke.
"The focus here will be on match-fixing, betting fraud and
corruption. The initiatives that FIFA has already launched are
good steps in the right direction.
"I will now have to pursue these initiatives stringently but
also build upon them and implement them consistently with the
involvement of Interpol and national security authorities."
His predecessor Eaton travelled the world in the last year
leading the campaign against the rigging of games, which is
usually orchestrated by illegal gambling rings.
Eaton called for greater co-operation from governments and
police, saying that match-fixing is the work of organised
criminal gangs which football's authorities cannot take on alone.
Under Eaton's leadership, FIFA offered an amnesty to players
who have been involved in match-fixing to come forward with
evidence. FIFA also set up a 10-year agreement with Interpol.
Between 50 and 60 matches are currently being investigated
by FIFA over possible irregularities.
One of the most high-profile fixtures to come under the
microscope last year was Nigeria's 4-1 friendly win over
Argentina while Bahrain's 10-0 win over Indonesia in midweek is
being probed.
"We have decided to strengthen the former security
department, making it into a full division in order to continue
to tackle all issues related to football security and the
protection of the integrity of the game," said FIFA
secretary-general Jerome Valcke.
"This is another major step in our determination to ensure a
clean and safe sport and to underline our commitment to the
fight against match-fixing in football."