Betting threatens integrity of Uganda Premier League

New season, new topflight name in the shape of the Uganda Premier League (UPL), new inventive ways to make extra dough.
The 2014/15 UPL games can now be found listed alongside other global football matches on several betting companies’ fixtures in Uganda including Top Bet, Wolfsport Betting, and Kings Bet among others.

This has raised concerns among stakeholders that the game could now be vulnerable to match-fixing as a result of betting; especially when you consider the economic hardships local clubs, coaches and players – whose struggle to offset bills is as natural as day follows night - endure.

“I have heard that (local football league games are being listed for betting),” said Dennis Kikonyogo, the secretary and acting chairman of Sports Betting Association of Uganda (SBAU). “Of course they should have consulted our association and the National Lotteries Board but we (SBAU) were not consulted.”

Open market
Kikonyogo added: “But it is an open market and for us all we do is ensure people are not defrauded when they win.
“For example, we don’t make odds, we use international odds. So different betting companies use those odds as guidelines to determine theirs. It could be more or less depending on their projections.

“All we do as an umbrella body is ensure companies are ethical. It’s an open industry and we cannot stop companies listing their leagues.”

But Kikonyogo is not lost on the fraternity’s concerns and fears. “We are organising a meeting with all relevant stakeholders soon and that (local league listing) is one of the discussion points.

“This (betting) is a legitimate industry. It is also two-way… it could be used to promote sport, but it could also be disaster if abused.”

“But we want to meet and see how to go about it in the way accepted to us, Fufa, Fifa and also put into consideration national concerns.”

According to Kikonyogo, of the mentioned houses listing local matches, only Kings Bet is their registered member.

Fufa’s say
Fufa, the local soccer body, have no problem with the practice as long as football stakeholders are not involved.
“Fufa’s concern is the illegal betting and match manipulation which is a threat world over,” Fufa spokesperson Ahmed Hussein explained.

“As Fufa we discourage the stakeholders to get involved in betting as Fifa has already introduced the Fifa integrity officers to work hand in hand with Interpol on fighting any such cases of manipulation

“Football stakeholders like players, match officials, fans, referees, administrators are not supposed to bet on games as they (may) help in the manipulation of results-for promotion or demotion.”

Ex-player’s view point
Kefa Kisala is Bul tactician and Uganda Cranes assistant coach. “A goalkeeper from one of our clubs, who I will not name, last season placed an individual bet (with friends) that the game involving his side would be goalless after half time… and it indeed.

“What if the goalkeeper had betted that the game would end 3-2? I don’t think betting is good for our game.”

Phillip Ssozi, a former SC Villa and Cranes winger, has a slightly different perspective. “Betting on games alone is not bad because we have reached a stage now where our game has to move to another level,” he said.

“But the worry is that our league is a developing league. Players and coaches are not well paid, if they are paid at all. Clubs are also not doing well, and a good number of our footballers are already involved in betting which is not acceptable.”

Way forward
Fufa president Magogo Magogo told Daily Monitor they have, with Fifa’s guidance, set up a three-man integrity and compliance committee - which includes an officer from Interpol, a lawyer and an eminent journalist - to address the issue.

“Fifa will train this group so that they guard against pre-determining results but as Fufa, we have no authority to stop betting.”

How teams or players can fix football matches
*Coaches can field weak teams to give away matches.

*Vital players can feign injury during a crucial match, which may play into the opponent’s advantage.

*Players can score own goals to conspire to lose matches.
*Players can make reckless challenges to get booked or sent off.

*Referees in connivance with punters can make decisions that determine the outcome of matches.

*Players can talk themselves into getting sent off from matches.

*Players can conspire to miss the easiest scoring chances.

*Goalkeepers can let in the cheapest of goals to lose or draw matches.

*The penalty box wins or loses matches. Ghost penalties can be awarded or denied to ensure a pre-determined outcome by referees.

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