Danish sportspeople increasingly offered cash to lose on purpose

New study shows match-fixing more common than suspected

One in five elite Danish sportspeople, coaches and club managers are aware of attempts at match-fixing, according to a new study by Danish sports federation Dansk Idrætsforbund.

“I got a message when I was having dinner at home with my parents,” tennis player Maria Jespersen told DR Nyheder. “I was offered 30,000 kroner to lose a match.”

Jespersen was not sure why she was singled out for the unsavoury offer.

“I was very surprised and asked myself why they contacted me. Am I a weak person?”

Increasing problem
Jespersen contacted the heads of the international tournament in which she was scheduled to compete to report the offer she had received.

“I had no doubt about what I should do,” she said. “Sure, it is a lot of money, but I would never accept cash to lose a match. It is very wrong.”

READ MORE: Another match-fixing case being investigated

According to Morten Mølholm, the head of Dansk Idrætsforbund, only a few sportspeople actually come forward to report being asked to fix a match, and the lack of reporting is a problem for sport in general.

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