Q and A: What is spot-fixing? 

Manipulation of matches is an offence subject to criminal proceedings.

What is spot-fixing?

This is a bet on a specific event occurring during a match, outside of the normal goalscorer and markets, usually related to obscure outcomes such as bookings, numbers of corners or offsides.

Why is it in the news this week?

A League of Ireland player has reported to the relevant authorities an unsolicited approach he received from a third party with an inducement to engage in spot-fixing on the campaign’s opening night on February 16. The unnamed player rejected the advances.

Has football a history of spot-fixing?

Probably more than other sports but isn’t an outlier either.

Matt Le Tissier was the first high-profile player to confess involvement, admitting after his retirement he wagered on the timing of the first throw-in during a game in 1995. 

His plan always went awry when a Southampton teammate prevented his pass from going over the sideline but he did succeed within the 70-second limit set in the bet.

Other cases have resulted in sanctions. Lincoln City defender Bradley Wood in 2018 incurred a six-year ban after being found guilty of intentionally getting booked during an FA Cup tie to earn two friends winnings of around £10,000.

Stratford Town player Kynan Isaac was hit with a 10-year suspension after 14 bets were laid on him being booked during a televised FA Cup first-round game with Shrewsbury Town in 2021.

Northern Ireland defender Ciaron Brown was investigated by the English FA when betting companies reported suspicious betting patterns during his Oxford United’s 3-0 FAI Cup defeat to Arsenal 14 months ago.

Personal devices were inspected to address the allegation of his 59th minute benefitting acquaintances but no charges were levelled.

Can these matters involve the Police?

Very much so. Manipulation of matches is an offence subject to criminal proceedings.

Any other Irish issues relating to allegations of match-fixing?

Yes. Gardaí arrested 15 people as part of a probe into a range of suspicious betting activity related to matches involving the now defunct Limerick senior League of Ireland team.

Dawn raids of players' houses were conducted while mobile phones were seized when the Anti-Bribery & Corruption Unit of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB), accompanied by local officers, visited a squad training session at Hogan Park in Rathbane.

Operation Brookweed was kickstarted by the police in 2019 after UEFA lodged information to the FAI about alleged irregular betting practices on several national league games around the 2018-2019 period.