Ecuadorian Football rocked by Match-Fixing Scandal
A major scandal is unfolding in Ecuadorian football, with serious allegations of match manipulation in Serie B.An inquiry, detailed in a report by teh Directorate of Integrity and Antipiratry of the Ligapro (Ecuador’s professional football league), points to systemic manipulation of matches involving Gualaceo SC and Chacaritas FC.
the investigation was prompted by concerns flagged by Stats Perform, a sports integrity analysis company contracted by the Ligapro to monitor matches. Stats perform assigns a suspicion rating to games from 1 (no suspicion) to 5 (very serious suspicion). The match between Gualaceo and Chacaritas received the highest rating of 5,due to ”anomalous behavior patterns on the court,” including players making unforced errors in defense and offering ineffective opposition,seemingly designed to facilitate goals for the opposing team.This was coupled with “unusual betting volumes” exceeding USD 140,000.
The report details disturbing evidence of organized manipulation. An anonymous witness testified that players were threatened – in one instance, a player was threatened with harm to his family – to ensure a loss. The witness also reported instances of teammates receiving money to influence match outcomes and a technical director openly identifying players who had been “sold” – presumably referring to involvement in match-fixing.
The Directorate of Integrity and Antipiratry’s report concludes that the cases represent ”one of the greatest gravity events recorded in the recent history” of the Ligapro. It emphasizes that the manipulation wasn’t isolated, but rather the result of “internal and sustained structures…operated from the heart of the institutions themselves, with the active participation of players, external agents, facilitators, and with an unacceptable institutional permissiveness.”
The report explicitly rejects any defense based on ignorance or lack of intent, stating the facts demonstrate “direct and indirect participation of clubs and their members in sports bets, which is expressly prohibited.” Furthermore, one Chacaritas player who failed to attend interviews was specifically identified in Stats Perform’s technical reports, and his absence is considered a violation of FIFA, Conmebol, and FEF disciplinary codes.
The Directorate has requested the Disciplinary Committee of the Chamber of Commerce of Guayaquil to impose “the most serious sanctions provided for in the current system.” The report stresses the severity of the infractions and the damage to the reputation of Ecuadorian football, arguing that the facts “not only enable, but also require the imposition of the most severe sanctions.”
Ligapro Director of Integrity and Antipiratry, Gabriel Drouet, declined to comment on the ongoing investigation. The Ligapro is now awaiting a ruling from the Disciplinary Committee.
