British players arrested in Australia

Australian police investigating match-fixing allegations have arrested 10 people, including British players. The probe was prompted by information provided by the Football Federation of Australia (FFA). "It is believed the players and staff involved are all affiliated with the one sporting club," read a Victoria Police statement. "Many of the players arrested are from the United Kingdom, playing in the Victorian league in their off- season." The FFA said the club in question were Southern Stars, who play in the 12-team second-tier Victorian Premier League. A coach and nine players have been arrested and could face sentences of up to 10 years in prison if found guilty. "The integrity of football is paramount," FFA chief David Gallop said in a statement. "We provided information to Victoria Police within 24 hours of receiving an alert from our international betting integrity monitoring agents. "We're determined to keep football clean. Alongside other sports bodies in Australia and globally, we must eradicate corrupt behaviour from sport."