Ghost Match...

FC Slutsk and FC Shakhtyor Soligorsk

I have occasionally been suspicious of weekday low grade races - races that I have been betting in. The prices can move 'erratically' and then there are the horses that should make it home and just don't or the jockeys that drop the reins too soon near the finish - and so on and so forth. There is not a lot you can do about it and I suppose that sometimes they break your way and other times not. You just have to accept that there will always be 'bent' races.

The same goes for other sports such as football. Again the feeling is that any match fixing goes on in the lower or lesser known leagues because the top leagues are under scrutiny by default.

Apparently police are investigating two Belarus clubs over a potential match fixing scam. Actually 'match fixing' is the wrong term because although FC Slutsk and Shakhter Soligorsk posted match reports on their websites - the game never even took place!

It ended with an unlikely 'victory' for FC Slutsk (is that the ugliest team name in football?).

These 'ghost' games are rare and just part of the bigger picture in football where nearly £100 billion is laundered every year.

I have had bets on both these teams in the past and teams from other less well known corners of the globe.

All that number crunching for nothing! :(