Of course, on the other hand, there is the Olympic spirit, its sportsmanship values, its moments of grace and its titanic battles. The front side is sometimes a little less rosy. Every four years, a handful of cheating cases tarnish this image. In London, in 2012, eight badminton players were excluded from the competition for having lost on purpose in order to subsequently face less formidable opponents. Four years later, in Rio, three boxers received a “severe reprimand” for betting on fights. One of them, an Irishman, had even bet… on his own defeat. But, in an incredible turnaround, the next day, he won.
“He did not manipulate the game, in the sense that he did not try to lose, but by betting against him, he made sure to win money even if he lost,” explains Corentin Segalen, coordinator of the platform to combat the manipulation of sports competitions.
Although these cases are extremely rare, they are subject to extreme vigilance. “Our objective is to intervene as early as possible, ideally before the game even takes place,” specifies the man who is also an expert within the National Gaming Authority (ANJ). Because, to hear him dissect the manipulation mechanisms, cheating would be a relatively precise science. First, certain matches are more risky than others: those, for example, where losing would ensure you find yourself in a better part of the table. This is why, for these Olympic Games, twenty-four countries have united to carry out risk analysis around all sports. Australia will watch sailing, the British, boxing, the United States will watch basketball…
“Risk” sports
Certain sports are also considered more “risky”. “Generally speaking, it is easier to bribe in individual sports than in team sports. Especially, when it comes to a national team which brings together players who do not play together on a daily basis,” notes Commissioner Stéphane Piallat, head of the racing and games department of the judicial police. Some sports present at the Olympics are poorly remunerative for athletes, which can create temptations.
Racket sports, notably badminton or ping-pong, are considered more exposed. “These are disciplines in which there is only one person to bribe and on which you can bet on all points,” notes Corentin Segalen. Generally speaking, risky sports are those which generate a lot of betting. » However, these disciplines are very popular in Asia and it is not uncommon for stakes there to reach several thousand or even tens of thousands of euros.
And this is one of the main levers to fight against the manipulation of competitions: scrutinizing sports betting. Certainly, the amounts generated have nothing to do with competitions like the Football World Cup. In France, the 2022 World Cup in Qatar generated a billion euros in bets… compared to 90 million for the Tokyo Olympics. For this French edition, however, the authorities estimate that up to 500 million euros could be bet in France.
“But the Olympics are a separate competition and it is not because there are fewer bets that there are fewer risks,” specifies the ANJ expert. For several months now, training has been provided to professionals to guide them in the event of suspicion. A vast information campaign has also been launched, particularly aimed at volunteers, because like all accredited people, they are not allowed to bet during the Olympics.
Betting and performance analysis
As the competition is held in France, the authorities may also be contacted by foreign services for suspicious bets spotted on their territory. “If a country has doubts about a match, we can be called to make initial findings,” specifies commissioner Stéphane Piallat. This is what characterizes these cases: their international dimension, often orchestrated by experienced criminal networks. This globalized nature has pushed 44 countries to unite and pool their data. Thus, the sudden drop in a rating, suspicious because massive bets, issued in certain regions of the globe or from hitherto dormant accounts are all elements which will attract attention.
These analyzes are combined with the athletes’ sporting performances in the viewfinder. “If someone, for example, is used to running at 40 km/h and is only at 25 on the day in question or if they make multiple gross technical errors, that can guide us. Especially in a team sport, when it comes to identifying someone,” explains Corentin Segalen. Sometimes, it is the behavior of a referee or even that of a coach who makes decisions putting his team in difficulty that is targeted.
But how can we distinguish between a player who missed out on his match and another who was paid to lose it? Once seized, investigators seek to highlight suspicious movements of money, exchanges of information or links between bettors and players. “It’s a fairly standard judicial investigation. We will look for evidence,” insists Commissioner Piallat. And the risks are great: the offense of manipulation is punishable by five years in prison, or even ten if it is done in an organized gang.