BETTING ON FOOTBALL.

Shannon News, 12 July 1921, Page 4

BETTING ON FOOTBALL.

SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS IN LOCAL j UNION. • l REFEREES TAKE ACTION. At. Saturday night’s meeting of the Horowhenua. Rugby Referees’ Association, some strong criticism was made as to the extent to which betting on the results of football matches is prevalent throughout the Union. Mr W. Thomson stated that he had been informed that some referees had been betting on matches, and he spoke feelingly on the matter, calling for very stringent measures to be taken against offenders when discovered. He was of opinion that nothing would give the players less confidence in the decisions of a referee than such practices. * After many present had condemned the practice, and the instigator of the discussion had refused to> name any particular referee on that occasion, the following resolution was carried: “That,' in the opinion of this Association, if in the future information be received by any member of the Association that a referee is betting on the result oh any match, he shall report th'e matter to his Association, and any member proved to have made a bet shall.be summarily expelled from the Association.’’ It was also decided to draw the attention of the Rugby Union to the amount of betting that goes on on matches throughout the Union, as the Association was of opinion that this was the cause of most of the ill-feel-ing displayed towards referees during the progress and after the games. Mr O’Connor reported that in the Foxton-Hui Mai match, a, Foxton player was injured, and another Foxton man had taken his place. Thereupon a Foxton spectator went up and asked, in the referee’s presence and hearing, whether the Foxton emergency had any money on Hui Mai team. It was decided to suggest .to the Horowhenua Rugby Union that the spectator be requested to explain his allegation.