According to reports from the Tennis Australia, the resignation of its three board members was by any chance related to some match-fixing scandals. Kerryn Pratt, Peter Armstrong and Dr. Janet Young submitted their resignation letters last Friday which would be effectual right away.

Dr Young who was enrolled into the board in 2008 was a member of the team that won the Australian Fed Cup in two consecutive years of 1973 and 1974. Pratt on the other side joined Tennis Australia in 2013. Pratt was in 1979 a semi finalist in the Australian Open Women doubles. She also worked as a commentator and selector of the Fed Cup. Later between 1991 and 1995, she served in the Australian Sports Commission board. Armstrong, a businessman in Australia was indulged as a board member alongside Pratt in 2013.

It is yet to come to the conscience of many following the submission of resignation letters y the three board members. When asked to reveal more information as to why this happened, TA was adamant and only pointed out that the quitting of the three was not related to any match-fixing scam. This was not the right time to quit the post of the three members as the TA was preparing for the upcoming first grand slam tournament of 2016, the Australian Open.

Nonetheless, the TA president Steve Healy had no option but to thank the three for their dedication and effort from the time they were enrolled as board members to their resignation. He claimed that Kerryn, Janet and Peter have made substantial contributions to TA as well as the tennis sport at large for a number of years. He concluded by saying that the TA was grateful for the endurance and wished all the best in their future lives.

The TA will have to consult the nomination committee for the nominees for the vacant three posts a process which has been scheduled to take place before the board meeting in March.

Irfan Ahmed a Hong Kong cricketer has been faced by corruption charges after it was alleged by the International Cricket Council that he violated the Article 2.4.2 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code. Ahmed faces the same offence that was once conducted by New Zealand batsman Lou Vincent for fixing matches in England.

He will face a tribunal on charges of failure to report match fixing scandal after he was approached by a match fixer. If he is found guilty, he will be banned to around two to five years. This would be a big blow for the Indian Cricketer who was scheduled to lead his team in the upcoming Twenty20 Championship in March. It will be also a big blow for the Hong Kong cricket. Currently Ahmed is ranked 11^th in the World T20 rankings.

The ICC Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU) claimed that it would continue investigating various bookies that have a tendency of targeting associate nation players for match fixing and other irregularities.

Another Hong Kong based player Kevin Egan of Australia claimed that Ahmed may not be faced by serious charges after it was noted that the only mistake he did was failing to report the match fixing irregularity that was conducted by a former Pakistan cricketer.

The named Pakistan cricketer is believed to be Nasem Gulzar. He is believed to be Ahmed mentor since the latter moved to Hong Kong. Gulzar has been faced by several match-fixing scandals and was once mentioned during a try of Chris Cairns who formerly represented New Zealand in international levels.

Generally, ICC has no mandate to make a comment in regards to the ACU matters. However, the head of investigative branch of ICC Ronnie Flanagan claimed that players should be on the lookout for these match fixers who are now targeting players earning low income and bribe them with substantial amounts to lose a specific game. He continued to claim that the cricket has been on the target and this may be a spread risk towards the success of domestic cricket games as well as low lever international matches.

Five years down the line after the initiation of online betting in Italy, things have been running smoothly for the government apart from criticism from several betting companies on the tax levied. Nonetheless this has not hindered the government in imposing heavy taxation to the online betting sites. This has lifted the economy of the nation going against all odds and other stakeholders who saw online betting in a negative aspect back in 2010. The set rules have been crucial for the nation in attempt to eradicate the so called match fixing and other illegal dealings which have tarnished the online betting business.

To keep up this strong fight for any irregularities, the Italian Ministry of finance as well as the national chamber of commerce has indulged in a number of rules amendments to the betting sector of the nation. The recent change has involved the initiation of a 22% levy tax to all betting sites across the nation. This new move however is scheduled to start functioning in 2016 with the aim of improving the set conditions for the sector’s commercials.

This means that Italy will have to do with the controversial tax turnover which was scheduled for 2-5% and incorporate the new 22% set on the fixed net betting income. However, the new 22% is claimed to be 2% more than the stipulated tax rates on poker services, games as well as online casino. The new incorporation will be a part of the Italian legislators bid which focuses on having a new enterprise in the market by 2016.

The Amministrazione Autonoma dei Monopoli di Stato (AAMS) has been faced by a series of critics from several European operators who have argued that the state corporation has incorporated unjust tax scheme which have been hindering the growth and provision of services to online betting operators.

The new policy of 22% tax levy will however has to go past the Chamber Committee who will approve or reject it to the corporate law. There were other changes and increases in both the amusement with prizes (AWP) as well as video lottery terminal (VLT) operators. AWP will see its tax increased to 17.5% where the payouts will go down to 70%. On the other hand, VLT will be at 5.5% up by 0.5%.

The British Basketball League (BBL) has announced that it has entered into an integrity deal with Sport Integrity Monitor (SportIM). The deal mandates the SportIM as well as giving it powers to act as watchdog in observing and making thorough analysis to the global gambling markets for the British Basketball League tournaments. The association will also work shoulder to shoulder with the league in eradication and prevention of any malpractices that may include match fixing or any other related scandal.

This association between the two parties gives British Basketball League an opportunity to have an advantage the work done by the SportIM which involves keeping an eye on all systems in more than 35,000 basketball events that take place yearly. The firm will incorporate top class information and statistics from the courts as well as from betting information across the gambling market. The association also claimed to have complicated basketball algorithms that would be crucial in pointing out any indiscretion in odds all over the global betting markets. It will submit its findings under the actual time data which will be directed to the league.

The Chief Operating Officer at the British Basketball League, Andy Webb, claimed that this association between the league and Sport Integrity Monitor will play a big role as they try to safeguard their fans, players and other associates from the problem of match fixing. He was pleased to have never seen such an issue in the past but added that taking preventive and practical measures is fundamental to keep away match fixing catastrophe. This would open up the transparency of the matches being played as they will be free from any misconducts or corruption cases.

At the same time, Mark Locke, Chief Executive Officer of Sport Integrity Monitor added that he was pleased to oversee an association with Basketball League. This is the UK’s premier pro league that for long has showcased its honesty and openness in the sport and in turn has played a good role model to the community at large. H e concluded that they have set out Sports Integrity Monitor that would play a major role in ensuring the honor of basketball in the UK is maintained to the very end.

The European Union has decided to sponsor the joint EU Athletes and regulated betting sector’s pioneering player betting integrity education programme with a total of €488,305 that would see the programme run for two more years from Jan 2016 to Dec 2017. The programme was initiated after an association of RGA, EGBA and ESSA five years ago and these firms have claim to have extra amount in addition to the EU contributions.

The General Secretary of EU Athletes Jean-François Reymond, claimed that he was pleased to receive such a boost which forms the second time the EU has donated the funds to the programme. He added that their efforts are being recognized by various organizations with the firm having an objective of improving the educational practices to players as well as facilitating the well being of the #PROtechIntegrity crusade.

The EU Athlete will now concentrate on the development as well as implementation of five main ideas of knowing the rules, being conversant with the inside information, avoid personal sport betting, avoiding the offences of match fixing as well as report any apprehensive malpractices. This will be accompanied by the increased participation in the #PROtechIntegrity crusade with the aim of familiarizing the programme to a large audience based in different European nations.

The Secretary General of ESSA Khalid Ali claimed that the programme has been on the forefront in advocating for the effectiveness as well as genuineness in the betting and sports arena and having financial support from the EU and other stakeholders will propel the initiative to a larger extent.

Clive Hawkswood, Chief Executive of the RGA also added that the integrity and honesty of sports across Europe will only be achieved through cooperation between betting operators, European Commission as well as athletes associations. He was pleased to inform the audience that his firm will fund the programme for two more years with the aim of finding honesty in sports.

On the other hand, the Secretary General of EGBA, Maarten Haijer claimed that this programme educates young talented sportsmen and women on the risks associated with match fixing. He claimed that this is the main reason as to why they would fund the programme for two more years and may be a possibility of further funding at stake.