Finnish football authorities, alongside independent betting monitors, have initiated an investigation into possible match-fixing stemming from a recent Helsinki derby. The scrutiny follows an unexpected 5-3 victory by Atlantis FC over HIFK Football, who had initially led 3-1 at halftime.
According to Hufvudstadsbladet, the Finnish Football Association (Bollförbundet) confirmed they had received a number of alerts from international betting surveillance firms regarding unusual betting activity associated with the match, which took place in front of around 1,000 fans.
Kaj Björkqvist, the Association’s integrity officer, stated that various official sources provided information indicating possible match-fixing. "Right now we are investigating the suspicions," he said.
Concerns have particularly focused on the opening twenty minutes of the match, during which HIFK quickly netted three goals, raising eyebrows due to certain questionable sequences during play. Video clips circulated by media outlets show Atlantis players making unusual mistakes, such as a goalkeeper mishandling the ball within his own penalty area and a defender seemingly disengaging, leading to an unopposed goal. Another goal also came after what appeared to be a botched clearance.
While these instances alone do not serve as conclusive evidence of wrongdoing, betting firms have reported irregular movements in match odds that imply some events were anticipated by bettors.
The Finnish Football Association has directed all formal suspicion towards Atlantis, rather than HIFK. Atlantis general manager Markku Ritala expressed sadness over the alerts and admitted to briefly doubting the goalkeeper’s mistake, though he concluded that this notion was dismissed following the team's comeback win.
HIFK’s security chief and team manager, Joona Haavisto, supported the investigation led by the Finnish Football Association. He labeled match-fixing as “football’s cancer,” advocating for unified efforts to eradicate individuals attempting to manipulate match results.
The integrity of Finland's football system has faced criticism, highlighted by the previous year's suspension of 80 players due to involvement in a suspicious betting scandal. Despite thorough investigations concluding that match-fixing did not occur within the sport, there were concerns around insider trading on two matches and violations of a betting ban preventing players, coaches, and staff from betting on top-tier F-Liiga games.
Compounding these issues, Veikkaus announced it would suspend bets on elite men’s floorball in Finland after uncovering violations of betting rules. Francesco Baranca, an Italian analyst, labeled Finland’s integrity system a “disgrace,” lamenting that the increase in betting access was not paralleled by stronger protective measures.
Baranca pointed out that real-time monitoring suggested ongoing manipulation within Finnish football, emphasizing that "nothing has changed despite last year’s scandal," which involved the expulsion of FC Finnkurd from the league for match-fixing offenses. He noted that the wide availability of betting markets for lower-tier Finnish matches and the multitude of betting options have created a favorable environment for match manipulators.
