Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Llodra reveals match-fix approach

Wimbledon doubles champion Michael Llodra is the latest player to reveal he has been approached about throwing an ATP Tour match.

Arnaud Clement, Llodra's partner at Wimbledon, said on Monday he had been approached, while Andy Murray has said "everyone knows" match-fixing goes on.

"I was in my hotel room and somebody called to ask me not to try too hard the next day," Llodra said.

"That was four years ago. I said 'no' and hung up."

Llodra added that he may have been "one of the first players to have been approached", but with these stories only coming to light now it is hard to be sure how long this has been going on.

"We have the feeling that a lot of people have been approached," added Llodra. "There's a lot of talk about it on the circuit.

"Wherever there is money, you have crooks. It's difficult to stop because there is a powerful ring behind it."

However, Clement said he had not heard of many players who had been approached.

Bets on a match in August between Russia's Nikolay Davydenko and Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello were voided by online exchange Betfair because of unusual betting patterns.

World number four Davydenko won the first set but his odds then drifted out before he eventually retired with a foot injury.

Source: BBC Sport

No comments: