Sportspeople involved in match-fixing could face long jail terms as fears mount gambling has opened the door for organised crime to groom vulnerable Australian athletes.
The concerns have led to the federal government to introduce legislation to parliament which would punish anyone manipulating the outcome of a sporting event with up to 10 years behind bars.
“These offences will ensure law enforcement agencies are well-equipped to keep sport free from match‑fixing conduct that occurs both in Australia and overseas," Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said on Thursday.
"There’s no place in Australia for match-fixing or conduct that seeks to undermine the integrity of our sporting events".
The proposed bill came in response to a report which investigated how wagers can be made on Australian sporting events from around the world.
Australian sporting codes were vulnerable to international organised crime syndicates as a result, the review of Australia’s Sports Integrity Arrangements found.
Match-fixing Australian sporting events was a lucrative option for transnational crime because it could be done anonymously overseas, made huge profits at low risk and sportspeople were typically naive, the report found.
It identified "grooming" an athlete or someone with inside knowledge of a team as the method commonly used to control match outcomes.
"Some athletes and officials may be vulnerable to becoming involved in sports corruption due to personal weakness and compromise, financial or other pressures, or ambition, which may then be exploited by criminals or others," it read.
Asia was highlighted as the area of geographical concern due to prevalent illegal gambling activity and the convenient time zone it is in to wager on Australian sport.
Such acts were a direct attack on Australia's national identity, Sports Minister Anika Wells said.
"Australians love sport and believe it should be built on merit, effort, and fairness. This legislation helps protect that belief," Ms Wells said.
“Athletes will always be at the heart of what makes sport special and the Albanese government is committed to ensuring the safety of everyone involved in sport in Australia."
