FIFA Believes International Friendlies are More Prone to Match-Fixing

FIFA’s head of security Chris Eaton believes International friendlies are vulnerable to match-fixing.

Games played around the world today and tomorrow carry a greater threat of being fixed because the focus on them is lower than for competitive fixtures, stipulated Chris Eaton, who joined Zurich-based FIFA from Interpol, the international police group.

“They’re more vulnerable than most, absolutely,” Eaton said in a interview. “We’ll always make judgments about those that are most vulnerable. There are some we’re looking at.”

Match fixing is becoming more common by the day. Police have arrested people in Asia, Europe and Africa for rigging matches. The start of the Turkish league has been delayed amid a police inquiry there and FIFA has uncovered several national-team games that may have been compromised, including Nigeria’s 4-1 victory over Argentina in an exhibition match on June 1.

The illegal gambling market is estimated to be worth $90 billion, according to the World Lottery Association, a lobbying group for state-backed lotteries.