The CSA responds: official statement on match-fixing

The Canadian Soccer Association has issued a statement regarding match-fixing and the Canadian Soccer League, replying to recent calls for more attention to this kind of corruption.  I’d like to pretend I had something to do with this, having called out the CSA to take more accountability for the football being played under its banner, but really the CSA had little choice but to respond to all of the attention caused by the CBC story on match-fixing in the CSL.

Here’s the statement in full:

The Canadian Soccer Association does not condone match fixing in the sport of soccer. We will continue to work within our governing structure in full cooperation with FIFA, CONCACAF and our members to eradicate this type of activity from our game. We are committed to growing the sport of soccer in this country under the right circumstances.

And here’s FIFA’s statement to Inside Soccer Magazine on the issue.

Nothing new from the CSL yet.  In May 2011, chairman Vince Ursini said that “the Canadian Soccer Association is taking the lead on the matter and will be working with FIFA.  They are waiting for the German court case to complete its findings.”  Something must have got stuck in the communications pipeline, because he told CBC’s documentary crew last month that he wasn’t aware of any CSL games being fixed.

UPDATE, September 20: Here’s the CSL’s statement.