Lithuanian basketball player found guilty of match fixing

A member of Lithuania's Tauragė City Basketball Club has been found guilty of match fixing, following a pre-trial investigation conducted by Klaipėda Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The player in question was ruled to have compromised the result of eight matches between November 2019 and March 2020.

According to the investigation, led by prosecutor Vaida Pužauskienė, “the athlete intentionally played in such a way that the opposing teams would break out ahead and win the match”, after another party had placed bets on these matches. This included “not following the coach’s instructions [and] stopping offensive plays”.

Due to the fact that the player admitted guilt and the incident was a first offence, they were given bail conditions rather than a criminal prosecution. Bail was set for one year and six months without a deposit, and the player was ordered to make a € 1,500 donation to the country’s Victims’ Fund.

A statement from Lithuanian Gambling Authority said: “Manipulation of high-skill sports competitions is one of the biggest threats to Lithuanian sports. Because sports and betting are often closely intertwined, the Gambling Authority has always paid close attention to this area.

“Cooperation, exchange of information, awareness of the problem, education and awareness of sport, the gaming world and the general public contribute to fair competition based on sporting achievements rather than agreements or financial interests, which also helps to ensure that gamblers as well as licensed betting operators protection of companies from staged matches and criminal agreements.”

Original Article