Last update - 00:00 21/12/2006
Soccer / Big money at stake as police, PI firm vie to tackle illegal betting
By Moshe Boker
The heavy shadow of suspicion that lingers over Israeli soccer has raised the question of who should be responsible for investigating the match-fixing affair and who should be responsible for preventing similar cases in the future: the police, or a private investigation firm on behalf of the Israel Football Association.
Beyond the question of which is preferable, there is also big money at stake. The Sports Betting Council is willing to allocate NIS 30 million a year to fight illegal betting and both the police and PI firm Weizman-Ya'ar, which works with the IFA, would be happy to get there hands on it.
Police Commissioner Moshe Karadi says the police is the best force for the job. "The Israeli police can handle the problem of illegal betting on its own," Karadi said earlier this week. "In the meantime we are progressing well with our inquiry and we do not need any assistance. The police knows how to to the job and there is no doubt that we will do the job better than any private investigation firm."
Gaining the upper hand
For the moment, Karadi and the police force seem to have the upper hand in the PR front against Weizman-Ya'ar, the PI firm that works with the IFA, in the Hapoel Be'er Sheva match-fixing case and the Oshri Levi affair.
Sports Betting Council chairman Gideon Brickman doesn't hide his preferance. "I have spoken with the commissioner and he promised me that the police will give priority to dealing with illegal betting. The IFA may be weighing appointing Weizman-Ya'ar to handle the issue of illegal betting, but believe that the police can and should do it better. I trust Karadi to lead the fight against illegal betting. I have yet to authorize financing for Weizman-Ya'ar because I want the police to set up a unit to fight the phenomenon. The police has the tools and the power to the job best."
Karadi, who feels the scales are tipping in his favor, hasn't wasted a moment: "The association of insurance companies approached the attorney general with a proposal to finance the police in the fight against car theft. Everyone has seen how successful we have been with that. If Brickman is interested, he can talk with the attorney general and put in a similar request. If he does that, I have no problem executing it."
Unlike the police which has powers vested in it by law, Weizman-Ya'ar has only the authority vested in it by the IFA. According to IFA regulations, any player or manager who refuses to cooperate with its private investigation firm can be brought before the IFA's disciplinary court and faces suspension.
Despite the police's obvious advantages, and that fact that Weizman-Ya'ar has only 120 investigators, Asher Weizman, co-owner of the firm, believes it is up to addressing the problem.
Combining forces
"If the IFA charges us with acting, then we have the means to do so as well as the police," says Weizman. "If we need to, we will recruit additional manpower. Our company can handle the project alone, but I believe that the best thing is to fight the phenomenon by combining forces between our company and the police. Setting up a special police unit together with our investigators is the best option.
"The police has the requisite powers and can act as a deterrent, but on the other hand, a private investigation firm has the ability to conduct a quick investigation and submit evidence within a very short time. You can't drag on an investigation in soccer for ever; the teams need to play and sometimes there is promotion at stake. We have the ability to conduct even the most complex investigations within a very short time. So a match-up with the police is the best thing for everyone."
If the IFA and the Sports Betting Council decide to deposit the astronomical sum of NIS 30 million in Weizman-Ya'ar's hand to run the battle against illegal betting it would be a quantum leap in the firm's fortunes. Weizman-Ya'ar's current contract is for a retainer to the tune of a mere NIS 400,000 a year.
But if Weizman-Ya'ar wants to get its hands on the money, it will have to start coming up with hard evidence. "Up till now, Weizman-Ya'ar hasn't come up with any criminal evidence and we are waiting," said a senior IFA source. "At the moment it's all talk. The best thing that has happened to the firm is that everyone knows its name. Now it needs to prove what its worth."