Australia's National Taskforce: Combating Match-Fixing Before Women's Asian Cup

Australia is set to deploy a national taskforce next week aimed at mitigating match-fixing risks during the Women's Asian Cup. The initiative seeks to enhance synergy between police, betting firms, and sports organizations following recent corruption scandals in elite soccer.

The inaugural meeting of the taskforce is scheduled for Wednesday in Melbourne, featuring representatives from the country's border security and financial crime unit, AUSTRAC. Government watchdog Sport Integrity Australia (SIA), leading the effort, emphasized its preventive approach despite lacking specific intelligence of threats to the upcoming tournament.

Recent legal cases have spotlighted match-fixing involving A-League players. Former Macarthur Bulls captain Ulises Davila admitted to corruption charges, while other players have faced penalties. Despite calls to ban certain soccer-related bets, offshore betting markets remain a challenge for regulators.

(With inputs from agencies.)