British govt plans intelligence unit to tackle to betting

"The Sports Betting Intelligence Unit will collect and analyse information about match-fixing and illegal gambling," 'The News of the World' reported.

In his analysis on sports betting, football club Liverpool's former chief executive Rick Parry has recommended that a specialised unit be formed to tackle illegal activities in all sports.

"Match-fixing is a cancer that destroys the integrity of sport and we are determined to do whatever we can to stamp this out," Minister for Sport and the Olympics Hugh Robertson said.

"The Government will tell bodies such as the Professional Players Federation (PPF) to draw up a new code of conduct on betting integrity this week.

The government here will also get in touch with Indian authorities to work out modalities for international cooperation.

"Robertson has written to the Indian sports minister M S Gill to put the topic high on the agenda at the meeting of Commonwealth Sports Ministers at next month's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

"He is also planning to meet International Cricket Council president Sharad Pawar at the Games to discuss the issue," the report stated.

World cricket has been left shaken by the raging match-fixing row, which has led to the suspension of three Pakistani players -- Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir -- who allegedly conspired to bowl no balls during the Lord's Test against England last month after taking bribes from a bookie.