Betting could influence results
A cartoon on effects of shady deals on football. NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
Placing of bets in any game is prohibited in most professional European leagues and it is extended to player passing on information to third parties who use the information for betting.
In Kenya, this is a new frontier.
The betting wave is with us. Everywhere you go you are bound to meet people placing bets on football matches.
The craze has especially caught on with the youth and these days even people who did not give a hoot about the game are watching them with their eyes on their betting numbers.
In cyber cafés a great percentage of those you see on computers are placing a bet; others are huddled on their phones and are busy doing the same; in bars, on the sidewalks, everywhere, we seem to be seeking the jackpot. The situation is similar in Uganda. In fact, it is crazier there than here.
Boda boda riders take customers to their destination and rush back with their earnings to gamble. The gambling dens there are more than M-Pesa outlets in Kenya!
The bets are placed on teams all over the world and there are adventurers that bet on teams whose names they cannot even pronounce. It is not our duty to bother with what they do with their money but it seems the amounts earned by the betting firms are quite considerable. Whenever you see our members of parliament setting up bills to curb or control something, then you must know there is money there. Either they seek to be “silenced” by those concerned or they may have sought some kickbacks and were laughed off.
BETTING FIRM
The craze has of course helped on the football front and even the Kenyan Premier League is sponsored by a betting firm. The same firm sponsors the Football Kenya Federation, several teams and almost all football in the country. A rival firm recently took over the sponsorship of Mathare United but their banner was pulled down at the stadium as the deal between the Kenyan Premier League and their naming rights holders SportPesa could not allow it.
Such is the situation in the betting world. A few weeks ago, we warned in this column that measures must be taken to stop our players and referees from betting in matches they take part in. The warning seemed far fetched for many of those who bothered to react. Well, that thing is already happening elsewhere.
Zimbabwe striker Knowledge Musona has landed in trouble after being implicated in a scam of betting in matches that he was involved in. The Belgium-based striker has seen a fine run of form and is currently among the leading scorers in the league with three goals after seven matches. The surprising thing is that Musona admitted to the charges and is cooperating with the officials investigating the scam.
The ring has already touched four or five players and may see many careers affected negatively. This also opens the door to suspicion of match fixing that may see the players facing lengthy bans. Placing of bets in any game is prohibited in most professional European leagues and it is extended to player passing on information to third parties who use the information for betting.
In our country this is a new frontier but we must be prepared to deal with any shady deals.
