Fixing the beautiful game – public lecture will examine football match rigging

The murky world of match fixing in professional football is the topic of a public lecture at the University of Northampton.

Tony Higgins, vice president of international professional footballer’s union, FIFPro, will lead the lecture, which will examine the challenges his organisation has to address in order to protect players from becoming involved in corruption of the beautiful game.

The former Hibernian midfielder, who made more than 200 professional appearances between 1972 and 1987, will be joined by Birkbeck College’s Dr Andrew Harvey, who wrote a FIFPro player’s guide to preventing match fixing.

Alan Irwin, an Associate Lecturer at the University who works for the Professional Football Association and FIFPro, will also be appearing.

He said: “Match fixing in football is now one of the major concerns facing FIFPro and other external agencies dealing with criminal activity that has penetrated the game in recent years.

“Our two speakers from FIFPro are experts in their field with specific responsibility in dealing with player protection. This is a real opportunity to hear from professionals and academics who have both published and presented around Europe.”

‘Don’t Fix It? Preventing Match Fixing in Professional Football’, takes place on Friday 26 February between 1pm and 2pm in Cottesbrooke 109, Park Campus, University of Northampton, Boughton Green Road, NN2 7AL.

Tony Higgins photo courtesy of FIFPro