LONDON, (Reuters) – Match-fixing and spot-fixing are not a “big issue” in English soccer despite six people being arrested as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation this week, according to Football Association general secretary Alex Horne. Horne was one of several senior officials from various sports summoned to a meeting with the Department of Media Culture and Sport yesterday as the fall-out from a sting set up by The Sun on Sunday newspaper continued.
Former Premier League striker DJ Campbell, now playing for Blackburn Rovers in the Championship, was confirmed by his club as one of the people arrested.
“The general consensus around the room was that this is not a big issue,” Horne, who was joined by officials from tennis, rugby union, cricket and horse racing, told Sky Sports News after leaving the meeting.
“The intelligence we have says this isn’t widescale at the moment but we don’t want to be complacent and don’t want to see this in our sport. We are doing everything we can; we are looking at all measures.” Cricket, snooker, tennis and horse racing have all taken a lead in anti-corruption measures following high-profile cases.
