Brazil’s Constitution and Justice Committee will seek to amend laws in the country to increase the penalties for match-fixing. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Brazil’s Constitution and Justice Committee has put forward a bill seeking to increase the penalties for match-fixing in sports.

The bill, which seeks to amend the General Sports Law, will look to ramp up punishments by between a third and a half should those found guilty be able to directly influence the outcomes of matches, including players, referees, coaches, and agents.

At present, anyone found guilty of match-fixing will face between two and six years imprisonment, as well as a fine. The amended bill also seeks to extend prison sentences to those who solicit or recruit individuals who can directly affect the results of games.

The chamber of deputies’ plenary will now analyze the bill before it is put forward to the Brazilian senate, which must approve it before it becomes law.

“Match-fixing in sports is an old problem,” said representative Orlando Silva, who revised the original bill put forward by representative Bandeira de Mello. “What we have to do, therefore, is propose changes, especially by imposing more severe sanctions than the current ones.”

John Textor, who owns Botafogo, recently claimed to have evidence of match-fixing

The move comes amid increased recent controversy over match-fixing in the South American country. American businessman John Textor, who owns Botafogo, recently claimed to have evidence of match-fixing, but was himself suspended and now faces a potential six-year ban after the Superior Court of Sports Justice dismissed his claims.

As a result, a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission was established shortly afterwards to investigate match-fixing in the country. With legal sports betting set to launch in Brazil in 2025, the scrutiny on the integrity of soccer in the country is only likely to intensify.