Kenny Stamatopoulos approached by match fixer; match postponed

[sstackho]

Football: Swedish top-flight game postponed after fixing attempt

Agence France Presse

18 May 2017 06:41

327 words

English

AFPR

Copyright Agence France-Presse, 2017 All reproduction and presentation rights reserved.

Swedish football authorities postponed Thursday's top-flight game between IFK Gothenburg and AIK following a match-fixing attempt that included "veiled threats".

An AIK player had been offered "a large sum of money" in exchange for trying to ensure that they lose, the Swedish Football Federation said.

"This is a very serious attack against Swedish football and we will never, never accept this," Hakan Sjostrand, secretary general of the federation, said in a statement.

"With veiled threats, the fixer demanded that the player perform badly during the match against IFK Gothenburg," the statement added.

IFK Gothenburg's sports chief Mats Green identified the player as AIK's Greek-Canadian goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos, Green told the daily Goteborgs-Posten.

Stockholm-based AIK refused to comment on the issue during a press conference.

The football federation found out about the fixing attempt on Wednesday and informed AIK, IFK Gothenburg and the police, who have launched an investigation.

"The starting point for all of our games is that they're safe and conducted in a sporting manner," Sjostrand said.

"Based on the information we've received, we cannot guarantee that the IFK Gothenburg and AIK game is a safe match."

The two teams, along with the Swedish association, are expected to agree on a new date for the match.

Several match-fixing allegations have emerged in recent years in Sweden, with investigations not always resulting in a conclusion.

IFK Gothenburg are Sweden's second-most successful club and the only one to have won a European title (the UEFA Cup in 1982 and 1987).

However, the club has had a difficult start to this season and are 11th in the championship after eight games. AIK are sixth.

In 2015, a Serbian player in the Swedish second division was given a suspended jail sentence and fined over attempts to bribe three opponents to play badly before a match.

[Guest]

So was Stama the whistleblower or is he the one in trouble?

[shermanator]

Realistically, how much influence can a backup keeper have in the game?

[Boominbooty]

He was scheduled to play because the starting keeper is out on suspension

 

[Kent]

It will be interesting to hear more about this. Doesn't sound to me like he is in trouble in terms of being guilty in this case. I hope he's safe though. Whoever was trying to fix the match might not appreciate being thwarted and investigated. Good on Stama if he indeed was the whistle blower.

[Dub Narcotic]

Congratulations for Kenny for appearing to take a courageous stand on this issue, especially when others in Canadian soccer haven't been so principled in the past.

[Shway]

In a way I feel like guys who come forward, should be rewarded for standing against these kind of things. Considering he probably was offered at least to double his yearly pay....some reward for basically putting there life/family potential on the line for the sake of keeping the integrity of the game.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

52 minutes ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

In a way I feel like guys who come forward, should be rewarded for standing against these kind of things.

Although Stama has always been a stand up guy for the #CanMNT we are still not sure he was the whistle-blower. (I'd really like to think so though).

[A_Gagne]

I'm assuming he's the whistle blower until someone posts something substantiated to the contrary. #benefitofthedoubt

Edited May 18, 2017 by A_Gagne

[BCM]

14 hours ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

In a way I feel like guys who come forward, should be rewarded for standing against these kind of things. Considering he probably was offered at least to double his yearly pay....some reward for basically putting there life/family potential on the line for the sake of keeping the integrity of the game.

Double his yearly pay? Any basis for saying this - just from the fact the article says "substantial sum"?

[Shway]

3 hours ago, BCM1555362349 said:

Double his yearly pay? Any basis for saying this - just from the fact the article says "substantial sum"?

I was making an assumption based on the average salary of the Allsvenskan being less than 150K. Meaning that he's probably being paid less than that as he's a backup keeper....and the fact that crooks don't fix games for a few thousand. You get me?

[Kent]

2 hours ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

I was making an assumption based on the average salary of the Allsvenskan being less than 150K. Meaning that he's probably being paid less than that as he's a backup keeper....and the fact that crooks don't fix games for a few thousand. You get me?

If a player doesn't make much money, it doesn't take as much money to coerce them. Plus throw in the fact that they were apparently threatening him too means they weren't necessarily trying to offer him that sweet of a deal.

From what I've read in The Fix, it could have been any amount of money, even a couple grand.

[Unnamed Trialist]

10 hours ago, BCM1555362349 said:

Double his yearly pay? Any basis for saying this - just from the fact the article says "substantial sum"?

I'm guessing because he's near retirement, but probably at 150 thousand euros right now. Been a long career in Scandinavia. He's always been consistent and very frequently plays above the level of the team he's with. Very thankful for his contribution to Canada.

Like Dani Fernandes he's married to a woman from Tromso.

 

[BCM]

13 hours ago, Jahinho Guerro said:

I was making an assumption based on the average salary of the Allsvenskan being less than 150K. Meaning that he's probably being paid less than that as he's a backup keeper....and the fact that crooks don't fix games for a few thousand. You get me?

I hear you, but doubt it was anywhere near his yearly salary much less double it. But who knows... The figure may eventually come out.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

http://www.fotbollskanalen.se/allsvenskan/stamatopoulos-blir-massa-fragor-nar-du-pekas-ut/

Investigation is ongoing. He doesn't seem guilty but it's still not 100% clear he will be declared innocent of any wrongdoing. I hope his name is cleared though. What a mess.

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

http://www.expressen.se/sport/fotboll/kan-fa-ny-roll-i-aik-efter-spelarkarriaren/

Although Google Translate isn't the greatest (anybody fluent in Swedish on this board?)

1) It seems like Kenny has played since the betting scandal (which is a good sign!). (They mention something else about gambling but I couldn't make sense of it).

2) It looks like AIK may not offer him another contract at the end of the year. He wants to play but could see himself being a goalkeeper coach

3) With Kenny not being named to the 40-man Gold Cup squad, this could be the end of the road for him with the #CanMNT. He played well at the 2015 Gold Cup. I want to thank him for what he has given to the team and wish him all the best.

Edited June 7, 2017 by Olympique_de_Marseille

[Dominic94]

Shame he was the star of the team after Borjan's injury, hope he becomes part of the setup as a coach.

[Shway]

2 hours ago, Dominic94 said:

Shame he was the star of the team after Borjan's injury, hope he becomes part of the setup as a coach.

There's no such thing as the star of the team for Canada in recent history.....but yes he has been a great servicemen, when called upon for Canada...even at his age. 

[The Real Marc]

Result is five year ban

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/16/dickson-etuhu-handed-five-year-ban-for-match-fixing-in-sweden

[Olympique_de_Marseille]

2 hours ago, The Real Marc said:

Result is five year ban

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/apr/16/dickson-etuhu-handed-five-year-ban-for-match-fixing-in-sweden

To clarify, a 5 year ban for the player who approached Kenny to fix the match.

Kenny was not found guilty.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Good job Kenny. Keep the badge shiny. 🇨🇦👊