Copa Argentina is being investigated on suspicion of match-fixing.
Recently, the 16th round of Copa Argentina resulted in a series of buzz about possible match-fixing. The doubts were so great that Argentina's own justice had to open an official investigation to ascertain information, and whether or not there was any kind of manipulation of results.
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The suspicions in question were raised during the match between Boca Juniors and Agropecuario, which took place on August 11. In analysis, the buzz about a possible match-fixing started when the Agropecuario athlete, Milton Leyendeker, was expelled from the field with less than 10 minutes of the started of the match.
From there, a series of rumors began that the Copa Argentina could be the target of match-fixing. Prosecutor Celsa Ramirez, who is leading the investigation, said she is investigating whether or not there was manipulation in the match, as someone could be taking advantage of the red card market before 10 minutes into the match.
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Regarding the market in question and the possible irregularity in the match, a person from the Argentine Public Ministry highlighted: “We want to see if there is any truth in the media reports.” Meanwhile, Agropecuario player Leyendeker said that there was no irregularity in the match.
In his speech, the player denied any involvement with manipulation of results, and also commented that he would not leave his team “in hand”. Leyendeker said: “Am I going to leave my team with one less player, playing against Boca, in a game that everyone wants to play? Something like this had never happened to me.”
Despite all that happened, the Agropecuario club ended up losing the match in question. The result of the confrontation was 1 to 0 for Boca, who managed to advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa Argentina.
It is important to remember that, recently, the body specializing in integrity related to sports betting, Starlizard Integrity Services (SIS), reported in a report that in the first half of 2022 there were 84 games identified as suspected of having been manipulated. The entity said that most of the cases happened in Europe, and in championships of great prominence.
To comment a little on this type of situation, international sports law expert Udo Seckelmann said: “The vast majority of such participants are unaware of what is allowed and prohibited in relation to their involvement in sports betting and what would be the consequences of such conduct - both in the sports disciplinary scope and in the criminal sphere. Considering that part of these participants will inevitably be approached by recruiters who aim to manipulate results at some point in their careers, it is essential that they are aware of the regulations and legislation on the subject ”
The SIS entity, on the other hand, said that it analyzed about 18,845 football matches in the first half of 2022, and there were only 84 games suspected of match-fixing. According to the agency, 26 of those 84 games took place in major leagues. “These statistics provide insight into the extent of suspected match-fixing in football and underscore the need for greater diligence in combating the ever-present threat of match-fixing in sport. The rate of suspected match manipulation in football in the first half of this year is consistent with that of the previous two years.” - explains the head of SIS, Affy Sheikh.
Furthermore, SIS reported that 30 different countries had suspicious matches, 41 matches by UEFA and 21 by CAF: “It is deeply concerning to see high-profile domestic competition standing out among these suspect matches, which perhaps dispels the common misconception that match manipulation tends to only occur in the minor leagues. This latest data serves as a reminder that a compromised effort and concerted action needs to be done if we are to make a tangible impact on the match-fixing problem.”
