London: Long time Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that match-fixing can never be eradicated completely.
Wenger’s comments came on Friday, a day after two men suspected of involvement in fixing English lower league matches were charged and appeared at Cannock Magistrates Court, according to National Crime Agency (NCA).
The duo, alleged to be members of an international illegal betting syndicate based in Singapore, were among seven people arrested this week as part of an NCA investigation.
“Can it (fixing) be eradicated completely? I am not sure. It is not only a concern for me, it is a shame,” Wenger said.
Wenger knew the damage of match-fixing during his early time in coaching Monaco when French champions Marseille, also the 1993 Champions League winners, were found to have been involved in a match-fixing scandal and were relegated to Division 2 and banned from European football for the following season.
“Once you don’t know if everyone is genuine out there any more, that is something absolutely disastrous,” the French head coach added.
“I think we absolutely have to fight against that with the strongest severity to get that out of the game.”
Wenger, who started his Arsenal time in 1996, showed his belief that English football is clean.
“I don’t believe that in England people fix matches, but we live in an international world and you cannot just stop it at the border any more. It is a new problem that we all face.”
“I still think that 99.9 per cent, the English game is completely clean.” (IANS)