Match-fixing: AIPS president raise concerns as practice threatens sports

Giovanni Merlo, President of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), on Wednesday in Ashgabat said match-fixing, if unchecked, could destroy sports which serves as a form of entertainment.

Merlo told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the 5th Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG) in Turkmenistan that sports journalists needed to step in to check it.

“If this is not checked, fans will leave sports completely. So, I urge journalists to help fight the development through their reportage,’’ the Italian sports journalist said.

He said further that doping was also another form of corruption, even though its dangers could not be compared to those of match-fixing.

“In sports we are fighting against the corruption which is doping, though it is not actually the big threat.

“The big threat now is match-fixing, the manipulation of the results.

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“This is something that can destroy sports, because if the watching public understands that the results are manipulated, they would leave sports completely.

“As for doping, we have to fight for the health of the people. But the public is not too concerned about it, as they will in the case of match-fixing. But both are connected.

“For instance, if an organisation gives you something as an enhancement, it will also dictate the way you should behave in an event and you cannot resist that. That is killing sports already,’’ Merlo said.

He however advised young journalists to be honest in their reportage, pay attention to details and resist any form of manipulation.

NAN reports that AIMAG, which is featuring 21 sports and with 65 countries in attendance, began on Sunday and will end on Sept. 27.