Efforts are under way to prevent illegal betting and match-fixing in sports, which has led to cases of corruption across the globe. Interpol, the world’s largest international police organization, estimates that hundreds of millions of dollars are gambled illegally on soccer in Asia alone. During the 2010 FIFA World Cup, an Interpol operation in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand resulted in more than 5,000 arrests for illegal gambling totaling more than $155 million worth of bets. In May 2011, FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, announced a €20 million euro ($29 million) donation to Interpol over 10 years to target illegal betting and match-fixing. The initiative seeks to protect the sport, the players and the fans from corruption and fraud, as well as provide Interpol training and education against corruption. Sources: FIFA, MAARS Global News By Dialogo January 01, 2012
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Scientific Beta criticises MSCI weapon exclusion comments
SSF’s open letter to index providersIn a letter to the president of SSF, Amenc noted that many other index providers also argued that a broad cap-weighted index could not contain an ESG filter by default.MSCI declined to comment on Scientific Beta’s press release. SSF is in the process of engaging with the large index providers.The SSF investor campaign continues to gain backers, with the CHF8bn (€7bn) Swiss pension fund Profond among recent signatories of the open letter to index providers. The chief executive of index provider Scientific Beta has described as “inadmissible” arguments made by MSCI in response to a call from investors for index providers to exclude controversial weapon manufacturers from their mainstream indices.In a press release, Noël Amenc said there were “no practical or academic grounds for the idea that a broad cap-weighted index representing all investment opportunities cannot as a result contain an ESG filter by default”.The weight of the exclusions proposed by Swiss Sustainable Finance (SSF) – the organisation co-ordinating the investor campaign – was far lower than the exclusions or weight limitations implemented by all index providers to guarantee the liquidity and investability of their global market capitalisation-weighted indices, said Amenc.In addition, he said, excluding stocks linked to controversial weapons would not significantly affect the weighted average market performance provided by cap-weighted indices. Scientific Beta was of the view that “promoting an opt-in option that corresponds to a paid service falls short of what is at stake with this exclusion from an ethical and humanitarian standpoint”.
Noël Amenc, Scientific Beta CEOIts statement continued: “Ultimately… MSCI’s response is representative of the attitude of a large share of the players in the index industry who consider that ESG is a good business opportunity rather than an opportunity to do good.”The smart beta index provider indicated that, from June, it would offer all clients indices with “minimal exclusions”, and that it would also consult with clients about making these exclusions the default choice, with an opt-out approach.Amenc was responding to MSCI comments reported by IPE last month, after SSF published an open letter to index providers in several newspapers.
English Premier League: Manchester City hammer new champs Liverpool 4-0
LONDON: Manchester City generously applauded new champions Liverpool onto the field before their Premier League match on Thursday — and promptly showed no mercy by thrashing them 4-0 at the Etihad stadium.With the title secured a week ago, there was little at stake for Juergen Klopp’s Liverpool side who showed far from their usual levels of intensity but the loss, just their second of the league campaign, was an emphatic reminder that City will be desperate to regain their crown next season. Klopp was quick to defend his team’s attitude, rejecting any suggestion they had taken the game lightly. “I saw a brilliant attitude. I saw fight. We didn’t behave like somebody who became champions a week ago. We lacked fluidity. And in some 50-50 situations they were quicker than us,” he said. “Man City are incredible. I saw their season, they didn’t play a bad game even when they lost,” he said. After the guard of honour, which included City manager Pep Guardiola, the visitors started brightly and Ederson had to be alert to keep out a fourth-minute effort from Mohamed Salah. Salah then struck the post after a clever pass from Roberto Firmino, whose hair was coloured red, but if Liverpool thought they were in for another night of festivities, they were in for a rude awakening. Joe Gomez could not cope with Raheem Sterling’s twisting and turning in the box, pulling him to the ground before Kevin De Bruyne converted the penalty in the 25th minute. Sterling doubled the lead 10 minutes later when after a swift break, Phil Foden found him inside the box and the ex-Liverpool forward cut inside Gomez and slid the ball home. The 20-year-old Foden made it 3-0, firing past Alisson after a swift exchange with Kevin De Bruyne. City were showing an unusual willingness to play long balls and after Rodri launched a pass deep to De Bruyne, the Belgian found Sterling inside the box and he slipped the ball goalwards, with substitute Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s outstretched touch only turning it into his own net. It could have been even worse for Liverpool with Riyad Mahrez’s fine solo effort in the final moments but VAR spotted a handball by Foden in the build-up. “We beat the champions, an extraordinary team,” Guardiola said. “We tried to play football, take risks against the best team I have ever faced in my life at high pressing,” he added. “They drank a lot of beers this week but they arrived here with no beers in their blood which is why I give us a lot of credit.” The loss was the joint-heaviest defeat by a side already crowned Premier League champions. Arsenal were beaten 4-0 at Liverpool in 1997-98 in the game after they clinched the title. Agencies Also Watch: It’s Better to Die Than Live Like This: Street Hawker in Guwahati