Foreign involvement in match-fixing bid, says Gavin

FAI competitions director Fran Gavin said yesterday an attempt from overseas to lay the groundwork for a match-fixing operation had led to the investigation which ended in Longford Town midfielder Colm James being banned from the game for the next 18 months.

Despite having fought the charges, the 29-year-old has not appealed the suspension which was handed down after he was found to have breached a number of the FAI’s rules in relation to “match integrity”.

Gavin, though, says while the association is satisfied there was no actual attempt to fix a match, the incident serves as a warning that the league here can be targeted, given the international nature of sports betting.

“It’s been the most detailed and the longest investigation that we’ve had into any disciplinary issue in the league,” said Gavin of the James case.

“We interviewed over 50 people over several weeks and we strongly believe that there was a group involved in approaching the player from outside our jurisdiction.

“We have no evidence that any matches were fixed but we think there was an attempt to set up a network to try and get games fixed, so from our point of view, it was definitely an attack on the integrity of the league.

“Everybody needs to be very vigilant, club officials, match officials, everybody, regarding anything similar happening in the future.”

Money owed

Gavin welcomed the statement from Waterford United that they are negotiating with representatives of former manager Stephen Henderson over money owed to him after he had issued proceedings aimed at having the club wound up.

“Once they go into a legal arena it’s not up to us to intervene,” said Gavin.

“But at the end of the season these issues need to be addressed because all clubs will be applying for a licence and any overdue payments need to be addressed.

“Everybody is aware of that. Hopefully this issue gets resolved.”

Reacting, meanwhile, to a suggestion by Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny that the moving of games to facilitate teams competing in Europe needs to be organised centrally to prevent clubs gaining an advantage in the league, Gavin said the rules are fair as they stand.

Kenny had made his comments after UCD agreed to bring forward a game against St Patrick’s forward by six weeks from the start of July. They lost the match 5-0.

“The rules are there for years that clubs can move games forward. I think it’s good planning by the club (St Patrick’s) and good co-operation (by UCD).

“I don’t think it’s an issue although we would listen to any suggestion Stephen has.”