We ask Emine Bozkurt (S&D) and Salvatore Iacolino (EPP) how Parliament is helping clean up the beautiful game.

Talking Point: Football corruption and match fixing

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/16261487/n001-130327-002-en.srt

Corruption and match fixing  in football are widespread.

Just last month Europol  uncovered an illegal betting market

that affected some 380 matches  and 425 referees.

Players and club officials  are being investigated.

The EC is waiting on the Council of Europe  to set up a convention on match fixing

but MEPs say more urgent action  is needed.

We asked Emine Bozkurt  from the Social Democrats

and Salvatore Iacolino from the EPP  if football is still the beautiful game?

My own priority is to keep  the sport as beautiful as it is.

and we should all work together  to keep the sport clean

and get the criminal organisations  out of the sport.

Clearly the sanctions must  be a deterrent and be effective.

It's a global challenge against match fixing

that must be taken up  by the Member States

in close cooperation  with the European Union

but also through cooperation agreements  with third countries

because today, more than ever, there are  so-called illegal gambling heavens in Asia.

How big a problem is match fixing  and corruption in football?

in qualification matches, for instance  for the European Championship

It's at all different levels  so it's everywhere in football.

In 19 out of the 27 Member States  match fixing appeared.

What action should Parliament take  and why?

The only way to combat it  in a good, effective way

is also to combat it  in a cross-border manner.

That means, in Europe, police  and justice systems have to cooperate.

We need a harmonised definition  in criminal law.

The right sanction is to expel them  from legal competition

because this sanction model is the only way  that young people will realise

that there are rules  that have to be observed.