Europol identifies match-fixer rings
PARIS (AP) European police agency Europol says it has identified links between match-fixing gambling syndicates being unraveled in Spain and Belgium that are thought to have paid off dozens of players and corrupted lower-level tennis tournaments on a massive scale.
Pedro Felicio, who heads Europol's Economic and Property Crime unit, said there are ''strong indications'' the fixers were also involved in volleyball, beach volleyball, and basketball. Felicio spoke exclusively to The Associated Press, in a phone interview.
European police investigators are still trying to determine the extent to which syndicates broken up last year in Spain and Belgium may have worked together.
However, Felicio said cross-checks of suspects' names, their contacts, company details, places and people they frequented and phone records pointed to ties.
He said: ''We see these links. They exist.''
HEADLINES
- Nadal cruises past American teen in 1st round of Madrid Open
- Nadal says he's not fully fit, unsure about playing French Open
- French Open to inaugurate 2nd retractable roof ahead of Paris Olympics
- Brian Tobin, former ITF president, dies at 93
- Alcaraz 'happy to play 3 or 4 matches' in return at Madrid Open