Belgian Soccer Player Penalized For Wagering Against His Team
An athlete from Anderlecht, a Belgian soccer club, has been penalized €100,000 for wagering against his own squad.
The athlete, Olivier Deschacht, made the wagers in 2008 under his own account, though the 35-year-old asserts his sibling, Xavier, made the bets.
One of the wagers against his team included a Champions League contest where Paris Saint-Germain outplayed Anderlecht 5-0. Deschacht was a backup in this contest.
The case was brought before the Belgian Gaming Commission, which decided that both Deschacht brothers had seriously broken regulations and penalized them both €100,000.
The Anderlecht athlete’s representative has challenged the amount of the penalty, claiming it is out of proportion to his earnings and may appeal.
“I will not respond to the sum,” Deschacht’s legal counsel, Luc Deleu, told La Dernière Heure. “But the process is clear – we have the right to defend ourselves, either in writing or verbally.
“If we appeal the ruling, the commission will have two months to come up with another punishment. If we still disagree, we have one month to appeal to the courts.”
A footballer representing Manchester City has been penalized and cautioned for violating wagering regulations.
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