Add Category
Four people, including an AFL umpire, have been arrested over suspicious betting activity around the AFL's 2022 Brownlow Medal votes.
- Victoria Police said "a person with knowledge of the voting tally" of some matches gave that information to others
- Police said the four men who were arrested have since been released
- The AFL and Sport Integrity Australia are helping with the investigation
Victoria Police said detectives from the Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit made the arrests on Monday morning as part of an investigation relating to "the release of the Brownlow Medal voting tallies from matches" this season.
"It's alleged that a person with knowledge of the voting tally of these matches distributed the information to a group of people known to them," the Victoria Police statement read.
"Police are investigating how many matches may have had votes released, and exactly how much money was awarded from the bets.
"At this stage, police have no information to suggest that the outcome of the votes were impacted as the allegations relate solely to the distribution of information.
"The investigation is being conducted in conjunction with the AFL and Sport Integrity Australia."
An AFL statement said Victoria Police had confirmed to the league one of the men involved was an umpire.
The AFL's general manager of football operations Andrew Dillon also stressed there was no "information to suggest that the outcome of the Brownlow Medal was impacted" as the allegations relate to the leaking of results after matches.
"In the days following the 2022 Brownlow Medal count, the AFL was made aware of potential suspicious activity by one of our betting agency partners and the AFL Integrity unit immediately gathered further information," DIllon said.
"Given the nature of the alleged activity we engaged Sports Integrity Australia and Victoria Police to assist with the matter.
"I want to stress that neither Victoria Police, nor the AFL have information to suggest that the outcome of the Brownlow Medal was impacted as the allegations relate solely to the leaking or improper communication of the 3,2,1 voting outcomes of some specific matches during the season.
"Post-game, the Brownlow votes are sealed and stored in a secure off-site location and not opened until they are delivered on stage on Brownlow night. The sealed vote cards are audited throughout the season by KPMG."
A 32-year-old man from Glenroy was arrested in relation to the offence of engaging in conduct that corrupts or would corrupt a betting outcome, and is expected to be charged.
A second 32-year-old Glenroy man and a 27-year-old man from Drouin were interviewed in relation to the offence of using corrupt conduct information for betting purposes.
They have both been released and are also expected to be charged.
A fourth man, a 29-year-old from Oak Park, was also arrested and "released pending further enquiries".