Could Irish sport be targetted by gambling syndicates?

Irish sport has been warned in the Irish gambling news about the possibility or even likelihood of it being targeted by syndicates mainly from the Far East who bribe players and officials and place large wagers on sports events; Irish gambling news has also heard that this might also be a form of money laundering. Bribery in sports has raised its ugly head a number of times in recent years and Irish gambling news reports that as we speak three Pakistani cricketers are awaiting trial in London; but the main targets appear to be the spot markets or in play gambling where players or officials can influence the outcome of a specific event rather than the outcome of the match. Irish gambling news has in mind such things as a cricketer bowling no balls or in the Australian gambling news was a report of a rugby player deliberately giving away a penalty so that the opposition kicker could score first and so win a bet. Where high wages are paid such as in the English Premier League it appears unlikely that enough bribe could be paid but news in Irish gambling suggests that the syndicates target less well paid sports people such as those we might find here in Ireland; certainly there have been instances in Finland and we all know that Fenerbace were withdrawn from this seasons Champions League. Irish bookmakers are amongst the best in the world and are continuously on the lookout for irregular gambling pattern or particularly large bets on unusual events. There is no suggestion in the Irish gambling news that there is a particular threat in Ireland but we fit the bill in moderate salaries in our sports and therefore should remain vigilant. Player education programmes and the threat of severe punishment if caught are part of the answer and we trust our Irish players not to get involved.