Australian sport welcomes proposed fixing laws

Sydney: Australia`s major sporting organisations have thrown their support behind proposed new laws that include penalties of up to 10 years in prison for sports corruption and match-fixing.

The Coalition of Major Professional and Participation Sports, which includes football, cricket, both rugby codes, tennis and Australian Rules football, said today it commends plans by the New South Wales state government to introduce the Crimes Amendment (Cheating at Gambling) Bill 2012. The proposed bill will see a maximum penalty of 10 years` imprisonment for anyone found to have been involved in corrupting the outcome of an event. "The bill put forward by the N S W Government is a significant step in creating a national safeguard against corruption in sport," COMPPS executive director Malcolm Speed said. "We look forward to the natural progression of the other states and territories introducing their own legislation along with betting integrity agreement legislation." The proposed N S W legislation follows an agreement between Australia`s state and federal governments last year to create uniform, nationwide penalties to combat illegal gambling and the leaking of inside sporting information for financial gain. The two levels of government agreed to phase out the airing of live betting odds during broadcasts of professional sports, either through self-regulation by individual sports, or by legislation. COMPPS also agreed last year to establish the Betting Integrity Group, comprising a member from each sport to "coordinate joint activity between members and to use the sports` collective power to combat corruption in sport." "The combination of cheating in sport legislation and integrity agreement legislation across states and territories will give sport the best legislative framework to combat the increasing threat of corruption," said Speed, a former International Cricket Council chief executive. AGENCIES