‘Red flag’ triggered sudden Brownlow medal investigation

The identity of the umpire allegedly caught in the middle of the AFL’s Brownlow Medal scandal has been revealed with a red flag coming to light.

AFL Umpire Michael Pell Picture: AFL Photos

AFL umpire Michael Pell is reportedly the official at the centre of alleged suspicious betting activity relating to this year’s Brownlow Medal.

The Herald Sun was one of multiple outlets to name Pell as one of four men arrested on Monday by the Victoria Police Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit, after suspicious round-by-round betting activity on the 2022 Brownlow Medal count.

Chief football reporter at the Herald Sun, Mark Robinson, wrote one betting agency was alerted to “a punter or punters placing bets on players’ votes in different matches and winning every time.”

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“By the end of the count, a red flag was beside his name.”

The league, Robinson wrote, then cross-checked the betting patterns with other betting partners and found the same individual/s placing similar bets.

Subsequent cross-checking on the games themselves then reportedly showed Pell as the one constant.

The Age reported bets ranged in size, all the way up to several thousand dollars.

Pell umpired 16 AFL games in 2022 in what was his first season on the senior umpire list.

Two 32-year-old men from Glenroy, a 29-year-old man from Oak Park and a 27-year-old man from Drouin are expected to be charged on summons with using information to corrupt a betting event, while warrants were also carried out in Kilsyth, Craigieburn and Doreen.

Detectives seized mobile phones and electronic items while arresting the four men. They are in custody and are assisting police with the ongoing investigations.

Those offences carry a sentence of up to 10 years imprisonment.

The four men allegedly involved are expected to be charged on summons with using information to corrupt a betting event, which entails facing criminal charges.

AFL field umpires vote after each game for the three best players on the ground, using a 3,2,1 system.

Originally published as ‘Red flag’ triggered sudden Brownlow medal investigation