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A number of representatives across law
enforcement, judicial authorities and national soccer
associations from 49 countries took part in a joint conference
in The Hague on Tuesday as they discussed plans to protect the
integrity of the sport.
"Organised crime quickly understood that many football clubs
suffered financial losses due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said
Burkhard Muehl, head of the European Financial and Economic
Crime Centre (EFECC).
"And when less money is available, players, coaches, referees
and even club officials are more vulnerable to the machinations
of match fixers."
A study by UEFA earlier this year showed that the COVID-19
pandemic cost European clubs seven billion euros ($7.91 billion)
across two seasons, mainly due to empty stadiums and a fall in
transfer revenue.
EFECC experts work with law enforcement agencies across the
European Union and investigate links between high-profile games
and suspects.
"Huge profits are made by making the unpredictable predictable.
Cases of match-fixing and suspicious outcomes are piling up.
Cooperation between law enforcement and sports organisations is
crucial to identifying and investigating suspected cases in
football," added Muehl.
(Reporting by Dhruv Munjal in Bengaluru; Editing by Ken Ferris)
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