Female soccer player: They told me ‘take NIS 70,000 and throw the game’

A female soccer player was offered tens of thousands of shekels in bribes if she would throw a game. In recordings obtained by Ynet, a bookie offered the player up to NIS 70,000. “Too bad,” he said when she refused his offer. “I give men up to 100,000. I work with the management. Anyway, best of luck.”

The recording was the first authentic proof of how the bribes were attempted in the women’s league after the practice in the men’s league had been known for a long time. Women also receive lower pay than men and making such bribes potentially attractive to some.

The player that was approached was in full cooperation with law enforcement in their investigation after they received the recorded bribery attempt.

The recording reveals how criminal elements have reached in sports the reach into sports,” an official said. “When it reaches the women’s league, it shows that illegal gambling has taken control so much so that even the alleged bookie said he cooperates with team management.”