SYDNEY (AP) Police in New South Wales state have begun an investigation into alleged match-fixing in the National Rugby League amid media reports that a gambler paid NRL players to fix a game last year.
The police service said in a statement Thursday that the Organized Crime Squad was ''in the early stages of examining information relating to alleged match-fixing ... no further comment is appropriate at this stage.''
The league said it ''would continue to cooperate with authorities.''
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg told a news conference the NRL was taking the allegations ''very seriously'' and that anyone found guilty of match-fixing would be banned for life.
''This is a threat which exists for all sport in this country and globally,'' Greenberg said. ''The response from the NRL will be very clear. If any allegations are proven, then we will ban anyone found guilty, for life.''
Fairfax Media published allegations that a well-known gambler and six players were involved. There are reports that two matches are under investigation.
Greenberg said the airing of any preliminary allegations ran the risk of implicating innocent people.
''There is no specific allegation yet, no charges, no formal investigation by police and we should be careful not to jump to conclusions,'' Greenberg said.
The NRL was last hit by match-fixing in 2010 when Ryan Tandy was convicted of trying to fix the early stages of a match between his Canterbury team and North Queensland.
The current investigation comes two weeks after three players were officially warned against consorting with criminal figures, although there was no suggestion the current investigation was linked to that warning.
