Organised crime syndicates are preying on Australian sports

Sports clubs have become a hot commodity for crime gangs, with the integrity watchdog warning they’re preying on and infiltrating all levels, including country and junior leagues.

Australian sport has become the new “commodity” for organised crime gangs, which are preying on and infiltrating all grades including country and junior leagues.

That is the warning from outgoing Sport Integrity Australia chief David Sharpe, who is promising the watchdog will up the ante before the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

The former top cop says crackdowns on drug importations and tobacco have seen global crime syndicates target sport for exploitation.

He has also raised concerns that the streaming of matches, including at grassroots levels, is making codes vulnerable to illicit offshore betting markets.

In a first, international law enforcement agencies will on Monday join Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) officials, as well as state and territory policing, to discuss the pressing threats at their annual conference.

“The biggest risk in this country is the crime infiltration of sport,” Mr Sharpe told the Herald Sun.

“We are seeing more of the approaches … around the match manipulation potential or even just intelligence where organised crime is sort of slowly getting hold of these athletes by befriending them.

“That association is a really big risk, which we need to focus on work with the AFL and the NRL and others around protecting the athletes, just as much as them being exposed.”

David Sharpe wants cultural change in Australian sport ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics. Picture: Mick Tsikas

Mr Sharpe said SIA’s partnerships with international law enforcement, including INTERPOL, had enabled them to receive intelligence about illegal activity in Australian sport.

This included vital information from the UK Gambling Commission about an alleged betting scandal involving a Colombian organised crime syndicate that has resulted in three players from A-League club Macarthur FC being charged for allegedly manipulating yellow cards.

Global agencies have also helped NSW Police take down an international syndicate in Sydney that was match fixing table tennis.

Mr Sharpe said any sport that had a betting market, or was being streamed, could be manipulated.

“Streaming of games is so good for parents, for grandparents and the like to watch their kids from a distance,” he said.

“Yet from that can be an illicit betting market offshore.

“We have seen in the past, community and country level sports, like tennis and football, there have been approaches and influences at those levels.

“I wouldn’t ever tell you there’s a sport that could not be influenced.”

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie has made explosive claims the parents of a former footballer were ‘blackmailed’ over their son’s unpaid drug debts while he was playing in the AFL. Picture: Mick Tsikas

Mr Sharpe in June sounded the alarm about the dangers of criminals influencing sport through the supply of illicit drugs, following shocking allegations the AFL were conducting secret ‘off the books’ drug testing of players to subvert the anti-doping process.

He said he was not surprised by the claims but was encouraged by AFL boss Andrew Dillon’s approach to the scandal.

Mr Sharpe pointed to last week’s AFL Fans Association survey, revealed in the Herald Sun, which found 75 per cent supported tougher measures on drugs in the game.

He rejected claims players’ recreational drug use was reflective of a societal issue, saying anyone who purchased or used illicit drugs left themselves exposed to exploitation and blackmail in the code.

Earlier this month, the Herald Sun revealed explosive allegations that the parents of a former footballer were “blackmailed” over their son’s unpaid drug debts while he was playing in the AFL.

“If you’re in possession of … $500,000 a year in a professional sport, and you’re in possession of sensitive information that can change the outcome of the betting market you have greater responsibilities,” he said.

“This is not just the AFL, this is all professional sport.”

He acknowledged that family associations with crime could be sensitive matters, adding SIA had developed programs to educate people about anti-doping, match fixing, ethical decision making, criminal approaches.

The agency has dealt with almost 3000 matters, including 300 that have met the serious criminal threshold over the past four years.