FOOTBALL Federation Australia chief executive Ben Buckley yesterday denied gambling had become a widespread problem among A-League players despite revelations that three senior players, including two Socceroos, had been handed sanctions for gambling on matches involving local clubs.
Melbourne Victory pair Kevin Muscat and Grant Brebner and Queensland Roar captain Craig Moore have each been hit with $3000 fines for gambling on matches, while Brebner has been suspended for a further two matches for gambling on a match involving his own side. All players have had a further $2000 fine suspended pending further offences, while if Brebner is caught again, he will be hit with a further two-match ban. Muscat expressed his remorse last night.
"I accept and apologise for my actions," he said. "I have clearly done the wrong thing and accept the sanction that has been handed down by FFA. I am captain of our club and realise I have a responsibility to the club, my teammates and our fans. I apologise profusely and can assure you all that I have seen the error of my ways. It was a momentary lapse, and a clear error in judgment."
Brebner said: "I apologise to my club, teammates, our fans, my family and FFA for my actions. I want to make sure everyone is aware that I haven't involved anyone else. I understand and accept the consequences that come with my actions."
Victory football operations manager Gary Cole, speaking after the Victory's 4-2 loss in Newcastle last night, said the club would stand by the two players and would take no further action.
"He [Muscat] won't be sacked from his role as assistant coach or captain," said Cole, adding that Brebner would receive counselling for his gambling problems.
"Kevin Muscat has been and continues to be a fantastic leader for Melbourne Victory on and off the field. He has made a mistake and he has apologised and he's extremely remorseful. He's a tough man and this is going to make him stronger. Whilst this is very uncomfortable we will all be stronger."
After the game Muscat said: "I have made an error, stuck my hand up and I will take it on the chin. It's certainly not something I will walk away from. I addressed the team last night in a brief meeting and expressed what was going on. The first I heard was yesterday, I thought it was important they heard it from me not in the paper. I have had one betting account ever, that was two weeks ago, and I have made one bet, to the stake of $100. Whether that was $100 or $100,000 … I realise it was a mistake."
Buckley said he was deeply disappointed with the players. "I think we're all disappointed and actions like these don't help the reputation of the game," he said. "They're serious, we can't take them lightly and I guess they do, to some degree, put into light that we have a job to do to educate all the players in the competition whether they're rookies, second-year players or whether they've been around for 10-12 years that they have very strict obligations under the code of conduct."
Despite the breaches Buckley said he was confident the incidents were isolated and gambling was not widespread among A-League players. "There's absolutely nothing to suggest within the information we've received and the actions we've taken that there is any form of systemic betting," Buckley said.
While no player bet on their own team in an A-League match, Brebner bet on Thailand team Chonburi FC to either win or draw against Melbourne in their Asian Champions League match in Thailand earlier this year. He also placed a bet on the goal margin of the match, which Chonburi won 3-1. Brebner was not part of the squad for that match and did not travel with the team.
Brebner also bet on a match between Adelaide United and Wellington Phoenix, betting a combined total of $640, while Muscat placed a losing bet of $100 on the outcome of a match between Central Coast and Queensland, which finished 1-1.
Moore made two bets of $300, one when Central Coast hosted Adelaide and another when Adelaide played Gamba Osaka in the Champions League final, winning a total of $72. The FFA was alerted to the breach courtesy of its arrangement with betting agency Betfair, which alerted the game's governing body that six bets had been lodged in accounts belonging to these players.
The Herald has learnt the bets were all lodged close to kick-off, which the FFA believes indicates the players did not collude on any of the bets. While the friendship between Moore and Muscat is well known Buckley said there was no evidence of collusion, despite Muscat betting on a Roar match.
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