The Irish police made 10 arrests on Wednesday morning as part of an investigation into alleged match-fixing in the League of Ireland.
A statement from the Gardai said that 10 males had been arrested in Dublin, Cork and Limerick on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. A number of properties have also been searched as part of the investigation. The Gardai said its investigation, which is called Operation Brookweed, began three years ago.
This was following information received from the Republic of Ireland’s football governing body, the Football Association of Ireland and the sport’s European bosses Uefa over suspicions that some League of Ireland games had been fixed. The investigation is being led by the Gardai’s anti-bribery and corruption unit. Detective Superintendent Catharina Gunne, of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau, described match-fixing and corruption as “a threat to all sports at all levels”.
She added: “It can allow organised crime to infiltrate sport in order to use it to make illicit gains or launder proceeds of crime.”
The 10 men are being held at various police stations and can be questioned for up to 24 hours. A statement from the FAI said it “notes the latest developments in the Gardai enquiry into alleged match-fixing”.
“The FAI, in conjunction with Uefa, remains committed to a zero tolerance policy on match-fixing. As this is now a legal matter we will be making no further comment,” added the Republic of Ireland’s football governing body.
