"Anyone guilty of match fixing will end up in jail"

As part of the conferences organised by 'Leaders in Football', attended by the most important figures of world football, Javier Tebas assured that only 1% of Liga BBVA and Liga Adelante matches are affected. However, "we are worried. If we ignore the existence of this problem, however small it may be, we lose credibility. Both the clubs and sponsors should know that we are dedicated to eradicating it and that anyone guilty of match fixing will end up in jail".

The president of the LFP indicated that the monitoring and surveillance currently carried out by the Liga are a "deterrent" and also a "pull effect" for the condemnation of match fixing. Players and managers "now know where to go. There is no reason to be afraid to say that we are fighting against corruption in sports2.

Javier Tebas stated that he considers it necessary to modify the disciplinary codes and proposed the establishment of "life-time bans for those involved" and "three year bans" for anyone covering up the offence. "There has been little political interest in putting an end to this blight".

One of the LFP's measures against match fixing is to work together with betting agencies. "Betfair, which has 30% of the market, is the only one which is collaborating with us to warn us if there are any indications of match fixing, allowing us to initiate internal and police investigations". Likewise, the LFP has signed an agreement with the International Centre for Sports Security, which is "vastly experienced in the world of organised crime" and with Federbet, "a company which follows bets live from week to week to report any suspicious activity".

Javier Tebas concluded his speech by stating that all those involved in professional football should "know that it is a question of life values. To report an incident is to collaborate in the good of football. We must not remain silent".