Match-fixing

Former Reading FC defender has been handed a 12-year ban after being found guilty of match-fixing and placing illegal bets.

Photo:Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

English footballer slapped with 12-year ban for match-fixing

Former Reading FC defender Kynan Isaac has been handed a 12-year ban after being found guilty of match-fixing and placing illegal bets.

Match-fixing

Former Reading FC defender has been handed a 12-year ban after being found guilty of match-fixing and placing illegal bets.

Photo:Michal Jarmoluk from Pixabay

Former Reading FC defender Kynan Isaac has been handed a 12-year ban after being found guilty of match-fixing and placing illegal bets.

Isaac, who had been on the books of Southern Premier League club Stratford until the decision, has been banned from all football activity until 2034.

English footballer slapped with 12-year ban in match-fixing case

This sanction is thought to the heaviest in English football since the earth-shattering 1964 probe which saw life bans and jail sentences handed out to those implicated in the worst of it.

Isaac was found guilty of plotting with acquaintances to purposefully get a booking during an FA Cup tie he played in last season.

The defender pleaded not guilty to the charges on 19 August, but since then the FA claim he has “not engaged with the FA or the charges at all” and failed to provide any evidence that might exonerate him.

He was hit with additional charges by the FA for failing to provide “telephone billing records, and/or details of his internet service” during his interview with authorities in March.

Match-fixing
Isaac plays for seventh-tier Stratford Town. Photo: EPA

Unusual betting patterns spotted by the FA

The FA were tipped off to the incident by unusual patterns of betting in what was already a peculiar market.

“Bookies offered markets on players to be carded because the FA Cup match was shown live on ITV,” wrote Giacamo Pisa.

“Betting on individual players to be carded is not something that is usually offered for Southern Premier League games.

“Alarm bells were sounded when large amounts of money were placed on a seventh tier player to be booked.

“The FA’s integrity partners then launched an investigation into the betting patterns.”

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Isaac has not issued any sort of statement on the matter at this time and has persistently denied the allegations.

He has the right to appeal the decision.