Aberdeen FC director accused of extensive football betting

Grabbing press coverage in Scotland Thursday are allegations that Duncan Skinner, a non-executive director of the football club Aberdeen FC, is a prolific gambler and on one occasion bet against his own team.

The Scottish Football Association has charged Skinner with offences under the association’s rules, which forbid betting on football by any official, team official, member of team staff, player, match official or other person under the jurisdiction of the Scottish FA.

Skinner is scheduled to appear before an SFA panel on January 11, and has until January 3 to respond to charges that he repeatedly made football bets in seasons from 2014 through to 2017/18.

During this period he is alleged to have placed 589 bets – including one on Aberdeen FC to lose against Celtic FC in 2017.

The bets allegedly covered 1,465 games, with 81 of them involving Aberdeen. Possible fines that could be levied against Skinner range from GBP 1,000 to GBP 1 million, along with suspension or termination of membership.

The SFA has emphasised that there is no question of match fixing involved in the charges.

Skinner’s club issued a brief statement acknowledging that it is aware of the charges and noting that, along with Skinner, it is cooperating with the SFA investigation as well as carrying out its own review. Because the matter is still to be heard, the club will not be making any further statements.

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