Next year, the Olympics will be held in London, and officials from many countries are concerned with the rise of illegal gambling taking place at these events. Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates and the rest of the committee have sent a message to the country's athletes that illegal gambling will not be tolerated.
Coates is being backed by Federal Minister of Sports, Mark Arbib. Together, they have come up with regulations that they hope will discourage athletes from betting on themselves or their peers while at the Olympics. It is a string of regulations they hope will only be the beginning of eliminating the illegal gambling problem.
Back in the 1980's and 1990's, doping was the big problem in the Olympics. Coates and Arbib are concerned that gambling is this generation's problem at the Olympics, and they are actively searching for a way to ensure that Australian athletes are not at the center of any controversy's.
Coates has warned athletes that if they are found to be taking part in illegal gambling, they will be shamed by having their names released. Arbib wants to take it a step further, indicating he is seeking a possible jail sentence for those in violation of gambling rules and regulations.
The NSW Law Reform Commission have talked about penalties for up to ten years for match fixing. That is something I support," said Arbib. "This is a very serious crime and there are large sums of money involved internationally."
Athletes train their entire lives for the opportunity to compete in the Olympics. In recent years, several athletes have thrown that training away by the lure of a big cash payday. Illegal gambling operators are always actively seeking out athletes and officials who are willing to cheat in exchange for money.
The most famous case in recent years came in the US where former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was found guilty on charges of corruption, admitting to having relationships with bookies and mobsters. The Donaghy case brought to light a problem that many fans had long assumed, that NBA referees do their job with an agenda on certain nights.
May 14, 2011
Posted By April Gardner
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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