Football's betting scandal: When spring comes, can winter be far behind...

“Thirudanaai paarthu thirundha vittaal

Thriuttai Ozhikka mudiyadhu.”

(Only if the thief reforms can theft be eradicated)

The last decade and a half has seen football reach the higher echelons of sport, with the rise of larger than life stars, clubs with extremely deep pockets & also a school of football that seeks to beautify the game with its intricate passing style. The World Cups and Euros were conducted with grandeur, and many a time were records broken. The emergence of Spain as the “team to beat” heralded a new era in football, and it was as if the clubs in top leagues knew not the word ‘recession’. Football’s popularity sky-rocketed, and fan base grew manifold.

However…

As a German saying goes: “God rules in heaven, money on earth. Even the Devil dances to the tune of gold.”

This saying was once again proved right when somewhere along the way, the game lost itself to that diabolical devil known as money. The maxim “the higher you rise, the harder you fall” holds true here too. The news trickling out of Hague threatens to pull football into the dark depths of the netherworld. The sheer size of the match-fixing scandal will rattle all doors, including that of Herr Blatter. The match fixing scandal in cricket pales into insignificance when compared to this scam. This scandal is by far the biggest one yet, spanning over 15 countries, 425 officials/club officials & players, and influencing around 680 matches all over the world in a span of just 3 years (2008-2011).

This disease has not spared anyone, allegedly affecting even the the top European leagues, Europe’s premier event (the UEFA Champions League), FIFA World Cup , and FIFA World Cup qualifiers, apart from the host of international friendly matches across the globe. What is even more shocking is that these betting cartels were so influential (especially in Asia and Africa) that they literally decided which players would be sent for a friendly! (That in the end proved to be their downfall, as they were caught when they persuaded an African FA to send a second string squad for a friendly.)

This however is not totally unexpected. Ever since the advent of the “greed is good league”, players have been drawn to money like moths to a fire, and have put pelf over self. The scandal is just a culmination of the greed of various players and bookies, as money gained more importance and people started to lose sight of their values and ethics. Players started to force transfers in search of better pay or more trophies, while bookies started to test the flexibility of the rules in order to make a quick buck. Yet another reason for players and club officials falling prey is that they don’t receive their wages on time, and the longer it takes, the more vulnerable they are to get tempted by offers from fixers. However, to pin down the blame on money alone would far too simplistic, for were it the case, then those who thrive on million dollar salaries would have no part in the proceedings. However, they too are hand-in-glove with the illegal betting syndicates and match-fixers. Hence, it’s not just money, it’s ‘Power through Money’ that is at the core of this rot.

So, can we ever stem the rot? Or will this cancerous tumor continue to take its toll on the game?

The only prevention for this wheeling-dealing is a person’s value system and his conscience. Not all players succumb to these titillating offers, and they must be encouraged to become whistle blowers, for all it takes for the bad to triumph is that the good do nothing.

For the game to survive, it’s imperative that the honest are identified, nurtured, encouraged and made role models for the younger generation to emulate. It’s no mean task, but certainly achievable.

For the fans, it’s this hope that keeps them going , fervently praying that the game will win in the end.

Because if winter is here, can spring be far behind…