Soccer, or football as it is known in most of the world, is being plagued by match-fixing linked to emboldened criminal gangs or corrupt officials. Here are some comments on the global problem:
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''Football is in a disastrous state. ... Fixing of matches for criminal gambling fraud purposes is absolutely endemic worldwide ... arrogantly happening daily'' - Chris Eaton, director of sport integrity at the International Centre for Sport Security.
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''It sounds like a fairy tale or a novel. It's absolute craziness, something unbelievable - but it's all true'' - Italian prosecutor Roberto Di Martino on a case in which an Italian goalkeeper under pressure to rig a game drugged five of his teammates so they would play badly.
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''Twenty years of hard work I destroyed in just one month'' - Mario Cizmek, a Croatian player convicted of match-fixing.
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''For my cooperation, he offered me 200,000 euros ($261,500). ... I said no because my immediate thoughts were of my wife, son and daughter. How could I look them in the eye if I said yes? What kind of husband and father would I be?'' - Former Italian player Simone Farina, who is now a FIFA ambassador for fair play.
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''The widespread belief in Turkey is that at some time or another, each and every team has attempted to fix games'' - Turkish sports commentator Bagis Erten.
