Senior National Team
National Team boys attend SAFF Suzuki Cup Integrity Workshop
26 Dec 2015

By Nilanjan Datta,
AIFF Media Team

TRIVANDRUM: Taking time out of their hectic schedule the Indian National Team Players and staff attended an Integrity Workshop organized by the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) at the Team Hotel in Trivandrum.

The Workshop which stressed on educating about the evils of match fixing and its consequences, the traps and protection procedure was conducted by Mr. Biplav Gautam, the Director of Federation Services - Asia at Sportradar, who travelled to the SAFF Suzuki Cup in coordination with the AFC Integrity Unit.

Mr. Javed Siraj, AIFF Integrity Officer, was also present on the occasion.

The Players also signed a declaration mentioning they will not indulge in any such activities.

“We have a partnership with the organizers of the SAFF Suzuki Cup and look forward to a clean Tournament which the fans and the sponsors deserve,” Gautam, told www.the-aiff.com.

“As a Footballer and more importantly as a Football Administrator, you can never bet on Football,” he informed, only to reiterate “NEVER.”

“If anyone ever approaches you, it’s your responsibility to report it. The AFC follows a zero tolerance policy on corruption relating to match fixing.”

Gautam has, in fact, had Meetings with all the participating Teams in the Tournament as well as the Referees and Tournament Officials.

“Sportradar will be monitoring the betting markets for suspicious betting on all matches of the Tournament. We are not just trying to spot match-fixing but also trying to protect the integrity of the tournament and its participants,” he declared.

Defender Kaushik Sarkar who played for SAI Kolkata and is one of the three Players to have been registered in the squad of 20 for the SAFF Suzuki Cup stated that the “Workshop was an education for him.”

“It was educative, informative and now I stay more aware of the vices. As a Player you should not trust anyone blindly,” he told www.the-aiff.com.

Laiianzuala, the 18-year old AIFF Academy product, also registered in the 20-member squad admitted he had “not been briefed so much in detail before.”

“Now I need to be more responsible. A Player needs to carry himself off the field in a manner which shouldn’t bring disrepute to the sport and yourself,” he stated.

Gautam also explained in detail the techniques generally used by the match-fixers as they lay their trap. “They use many techniques from meeting you directly at the tournament site to linking with you via social media. They will usually try to first be-friend you and then request illegal favours” he explained.

All India Football Federation as per the FIFA guidelines already have an Integrity Officer on board since 2014.

Mr. Javed Siraj, AIFF’s Integrity officer also mentioned the Players about the “honey traps that are laid out by fixers.”

“As part of the squad it’s a crime to even pass out information. If you do so, you are indirectly being involved and facilitating the illegal process,” he warned.

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