ISL players warned of match-fixing sharks

PANAJI: Javed Siraj, a former CBI officer with 35 years of experience with India's top investigating agency, has been meeting up with each and every Indian Super League (ISL) player and warned them of the dangers of match-fixing.
The Indian Super League is big business with several high-profile players in the fray and the All India Football Federation's increased efforts at "creating awareness" follows reports that several leading betting websites have started accepting bets on all ISL matches.
"As the integrity team, we have to protect the uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the match. When there is such a lot of money at stake, there are bound to be elements who will try to distract the players for their own gains. The players must remain guarded," a member of the integrity team, led by Siraj, said at the start of a video presentation to a franchise.
The integrity officer told players they must surrender their mobiles before they head to the dressing room and must compulsorily take the manager's permission even if they are meeting family members in the team hotel.
"Most of us have been warned against betting whether on websites or individually. We cannot discuss any match situations with anyone, and if someone even drops hints about either betting or match-fixing, we have to report him to the integrity officer," a player told TOI.
The integrity officer, appointed by the AIFF early this year, first visited Kolkata to brief the players ahead of the opening game on Sunday and concluded his tour in Goa with stops at Guwahati and Delhi. The increased awareness follows reports that top betting websites like William Hill and Paddy Power have started accepting bets on the ISL.