GFA bans players and coach who breached betting rules

The Gibraltar Football Association has come down hard on players suspected of breaches of the betting rules following an investigation that started towards the end of the season.
In a statement issued yesterday, the GFA said its Disciplinary Committee had taken the decision after deliberating on two separate cases of breaches against the GFA's betting rules.
“In the first case the Committee sanctioned a coach with a fine of £250 and a 12 month ban on all football activity in Gibraltar, suspended for 24 months. In the other, more serious case, the Committee sanctioned two players from the same team,” the GFA said.
“The first player was sanctioned with a £1000 fine and a 5-year ban on all football-related activity in Gibraltar. The second player was sanctioned with a £800 fine and a 3-year ban on all football-related activity in Gibraltar.”
“The investigation into further potential breaches of the betting rules continues and the GFA does not discard further disciplinary measures being taken against more of its members.”
“As such, the GFA will not make any further comment on its ongoing investigation at this stage.”
BACKGROUND
The Chronicle understands that the GFA launched a wide-ranging investigation earlier this year after it was made aware of betting irregularities in some local matches.
The investigation followed concerns about one specific match that led to a global warning being issued to all betting companies, many of which suspended all bets on that game.
Since the start of the investigation into that, GFA officials confirmed that “other results” were also being looked at.
It was further confirmed this summer that the Integrity team was following various routes from the ongoing investigations in which several players from various clubs were under scrutiny over suspected breaches of betting rules.
The Chronicle understands the players under investigation were from “more than one club” and but the GFA has given no further indication as to the clubs involved or the number of players.
The GFA Integrity investigation team is understood to have sought assistance from other UEFA member associations, including the Welsh FA, in order to conduct the extensive investigations into the suspected breaches of betting rules.