Belizian players claim fixer tried to pay them to throw match

Match-fixing has reared its ugly head once again at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, according to a report.

Players on the Belizian national soccer team have come forward and told a television outlet that they had been approached to fix Tuesday's match against the United States at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Ore.

Andres Makin Jr., Ian Gaynair and Woodrow West said they were approached by an unidentified man, who offered them large sums of money in exchange for losing to the heavily favoured Americans.

Despite losing 6-1, the four national team selections claimed to rebuff the attempt to manipulate the outcome.

"He [the fixer] started talking that we don't really stand a chance to beat the U.S, so he wanted us to promise him that we would lose the game and that he would give us a large amount of money to change our lives in Belize and to help our families," Gaynair told 7 News Belize. "I felt really uncomfortable just to be around the guy because I was already aware about the 'match fixing' and I know that I could get banned for life.

"He saw that my features changed and he saw that we weren't into it, so he got frightened and took out a large amount of money to bribe us, a lot of hundred and fifty dollar bills, and threw it at us on the table and told us to keep it and to not say anything and to keep the money."

'I stood firm' West, the Belize goaltender, related a similar story.

"I made him understand that we're not into taking money from him or anything like that and we're here for our country," West said. "We are Belizeans and that is what we're doing out here -- to represent our country and, to me, Woodrow West, and being loyal to my country -- that [is] bigger than any amount of money that they can ever give me and that is why I stood firm."

It is not the first time in recent memory that the Gold Cup has been plagued by match-fixing allegations. In 2011, German magazine Der Spiegel revealed three games from that summer's Gold Cup in the U.S. were being investigated by FIFA for alleged manipulation. At the time, former CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer, who faced fraud allegations himself earlier this year, denied any wrongdoing at the Gold Cup in 2011, declaring there was no evidence.

In December of 2011, FIFA reaffirmed it had received information that suggested games had been manipulated and, while they did not name which games had been targeted, it did confirm an ongoing investigation. It left a black mark on the tournament and resulted in CONCACAF, ahead of this year's Gold Cup, promising to ensure there would be no future fixing.

Earlier this year, however, ESPN, as part of a story on the wide-reaching effects match-fixing is having on the global game of soccer, reported that a "prolific fixer" had bragged that he had already arranged to rig the entirety of the 2013 Gold Cup.

'Happy the players came forward'

CONCACAF has yet to release a statement on the Belize report. When asked if Canadian players had been approached by fixers or if they had been offered any bribes at this Gold Cup, the Canadian Soccer Association declined to comment.

Belize soccer federation president Ruperto Vicente did comment and commended the players for their actions.

"I'm happy that the players came forward and made the report when they were approached," he said. "This happens as a result of what happened right before the players left Belize.

"When people like this find that the players are clamoring for monies, they become targets for people who are involved in match fixing. Belize then has become a target because they realize we are a poor federation.

"We're a federation that doesn't have money and who isn't paying the players a lot of money, so monies offered to players by match fixers is very attractive."

Source

CONCACAF acts swiftly as Belize players report bribery attempt

Football's global match-fixing scourge, regarded as the biggest threat to the integrity of the sport, has now struck at the heart of CONCACAF with the confederation confirming that two Belize players were offered bribes to throw their opening match of the Gold Cup, the region's blue riband event, against the United States.

The host nation comfortably won Tuesday's encounter 6-1 after which reports emerged that Belize players Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair had been approached prior to the fixture in Portland, Oregon.

Both turned down the bribe and notified officials ahead of the match. CONCACAF say they have already discovered the identity of the individual responsible, in association with FIFA.

Much of the match-fixing that has plagued football in recent years has its roots in south-east Asia. Few further details of the current case have been divulged but CONCACAF, which has made considerable efforts under its current regime to improve its image following a spate of corruption scandals, was quick to confirm that "match manipulation" had been attempted.

An official statement read: "CONCACAF was notified of an attempt to bribe Belize national team players Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair on July 7, two days ahead of their Group A, Gold Cup match against the United States that took place in Portland, OR.

"Both players directly approached confederation officials immediately after the incident took place to report the attempted offense. Following the report by the players, CONCACAF launched a full investigation alongside FIFA.

"Initial findings of this investigation have resulted in a positive identification of the individual attempting the bribery. We want to thank Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair and recognize them for their bravery and commitment to preserving the integrity of our game.

"The fight against match-manipulation is a top priority for CONCACAF. In alignment with FIFA guidelines and with the help of outside entities such as INTERPOL, we have taken all necessary measures to ensure the legitimacy of each game played throughout the 2013 Gold Cup.

"In the past months, CONCACAF, FIFA and INTERPOL have conducted three separate seminars with all Member Associations in the region that have focused on educating, identifying and preventing match manipulation. We are precluded from commenting any further on this matter, due to the ongoing status of the investigation."

SOURCE

Concacaf and Fifa Honors West and Gaynair for Refusing Bribe During Gold Cup in US

The participation of Belize National A Selection Team, the Jaguars’, in the CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament in the U.S. was not short of historic for a small nation like Belize. But after suffering defeats for the three matches, Belize was bumped out of the competition. After Belize’s run for the gold cup one of the lingering questions that have been raised many times is regarding the future of football in Belize.  President of the Football Federation of Belize, Ruperto Vicente gave his brief overview of Belize’s performance in CONCACAF and what comes next. 

RUPERTO VICENTE

“I believe that as a team, we did well, we did well against the power countries.  I know we had our shortfalls as well in those games but looking ahead, we intend to keep our national team and to also provide them with the opportunities to play other friendly matches.  We have Guatemala, who we have a return match with and we also have Trinidad, whom we still need to visit; so those opportunities are there for our national team and so, we are going to keep our national team and we will be restructuring our national team committee and also invest more in younger players.”

When the players arrived in the United States, it was reported that two of the players namely, Ian Gaynair and Woodrow West, were attempted to be bribe by an individuals. For their resistance, Ruperto says that both West and Gaynair are receiving prizes.

RUPERTO VICENTE

“The players who were being bribed and refused the bribe in the United States are now going to be honored by CONCACAF because those two players, Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair will be a part of the audience that will be watching the Championship Game, this Sunday in Chicago.  As to the finals of the Gold Cup, they are going to be there and they will also be a part of the President’s banquet because they did a good thing and I think it is time that we herald what they did for resisting the temptations; I think it is a good thing and we need to celebrate them and so, CONCACAF and FIFA are going to celebrate their resistance.”

The executive of the FFB will be meeting tomorrow where a number of issues will be discussed including Coach Ian Mork’s decisions during the tournament and the status of FFB Vice President, Rawell Pelayo who is still being detained in the U.S. after the DEA nabbed him for allegedly violating the narcotics law of that country. 

LOVEFM

Woodrow West and Ian Gaynair receive Gilmore Henkson Fair Play Trophy

It has been announced by Mr. Charles Bartley Hyde, President of the Belize Olympic Committee's Fair Play Commission, and other members; Mr. Raymond Lashley, Ms. Hadie Gomez, Mrs. Yolanda Fonseca and Mr. Edward Pitts, and with the consent of Mr. Hilly Martinez, President of the Belize Olympic & Commonwealth Games Association, in concurrence with His Excellency, Sir Colville Young, Patron of the Belize Olympic Committee that the Gilmore Henkson Fair Play Trophy has been awarded to Mr. Woodrow West and Mr. Ian Gaynair for their outstanding honesty & patriotism during their participation in the Gold Cup Tournament in the U.S.A. Their character exemplifies the aims and objectives of the International Olympic Committee.

The Gilmore Henkson Trophy was established some years ago by the Belize Olympic Committee in memory of Mr. Gilmore Henkson who was a diligent and excellent secretary of the Belize Olympic Committee for many years. He was an outstanding Football, Softball & Cricket player.

The Trophy will be presented to the recipients on the 6th of August at Government House in Belmopan by H. E. Sir Colville Young.

It will be recalled that the Belize Olympic & Commonwealth Games Association contributed the sum of $30,000.00 towards the team's expenses for their attendance at these prestigious games.

PRESS RELEASE- Belize Olympic and Commonwealth Games Association- August 28th