A player of Ronaldo Phenomenon's club, the name of midfielder Richard appears in conversations between gamblers. The messages are attached to Provisional Measure complaint. Although the athlete is not yet investigated by the so-called ‘Operation Maximum Penalty’, he was removed from the club's activities.
What Ronaldo said in an outburst about the betting scandal:
"I couldn't help but position myself after the latest unfortunate news about the involvement of athletes in bets and results manipulation schemes."
“As a former player, shareholder of two clubs and football enthusiast, of course it saddens me a lot to see the history of the sport being stained in this way; the fraudulent activities of some disbelief by the many others without any involvement; the lack of ethics, principles, integrity and, above all, respect for the fan by those involved by dirtying the image of football as a whole.”
“This sport that changed my life (and changes that so many people); which is the dream of the kids who idolize who is ‘upstairs’; who has so much player honoring the place that has arrived, the space he occupies and his power of influence.”
In the continuity of the text, Ronaldo positions himself favorably to investigations into the manipulation scheme:
“On the other hand, it is a relief to see a serious operation like this to unfold in the rapid action of clubs in support of the competent authorities to remove those who should be removed, investigate what should be investigated and punish who should be punished, in favor of the real football, bigger than all this. The clean, ethical game, without manipulation and with full respect for what we have the most valuable: the fans.”
The former player concludes the publication defending the continuity of the activities of the betting houses. He points out that companies are also victims of the schemes:
“As an entrepreneur, I can also not help stress that the betting business is a legalized activity whose industry, like the sport, is a victim - not guilty - for the crimes of third parties that integrate these schemes. Betting houses even suffer great damage from manipulations.”
"The current scenario, therefore, although quite unhappy, is an opportunity for maturity for the entire production chain of our football and brings important reflections on the sports betting market in the country."
“The need for regulation of the sector is wide open today that, in addition to leveraging billionaire market, would make the action of fraudsters very difficult - protecting the bookmakers, the consumer (who is the ordinary gambler) and the dignity of sport, raped by the schemes of manipulation."
Source: GMB
