Over the next week Canadian Soccer News will be publishing a number of articles to serve as an addition to the Fix the CSL documentary that aired on the CBC's National this week. If you have not seen that story yet, you can view it here.
Be sure to read the accompanying article on CBC as well as it tells even more of the story. Metro also ran another column today talking about what has gone on.
As was discussed in the doc, throughout the course of the investigation a number of people came forward and told us what they knew. Some were threatened directly if they spoke, others were given more vague messages. In today's story, CSN will reveal the transcript from an interview with a star player who would ultimately decide not to come on camera and discuss what he knew. He was offered the protection of anonymity on air and he still declined. Obviously, his name and things that could identify him are redacted here to protect him. And we have edited parts of the transcript for clarity sake.
This is not the only player that has come forward but we're telling his story today to leave no question that the 2009 game was not a one-off event and that matchfixers are prominent around Canadian soccer, the CSL and they have allegedly fixed numerous matches.
You can read parts of the transcript from the hour-long interview after the jump.
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WE’RE RECORDING NOW. WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT A LITTLE IN THE CAR, BUT IF YOU DON’T MIND TAKING ME BACK TO THE BEGINNING. WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE EVER APPROACHED? JUST TAKE ME THROUGH IT. WHAT HAPPENED?
Well, as I said, last year (2011) was the main time I really figured out that players are betting on games. Or there’s been match fixing ... I went to London, as I was saying and I got approached by a gentleman to either score a hat trick or to make my team lose and I refused it. And just it goes on and on like that. A lot of times I got phone calls “eh (redacted name) throw games” or “eh make sure your team your team lose the game.” Or whatever the case may be. At some point ... you personally think your players are throwing games because a lot of games we lose last year, that we shouldn’t have lost.
YOU WERE TELLING ME A STORY ABOUT HOW YOU’VE BEEN APPROACHED AND YOU KNEW THAT SOME OF YOUR TEAMMATES HAD BEEN APPROACHED AND YOU TOLD THEM 'HEY LOOK GUYS LETS NOT.' TELL US ABOUT THAT STORY AND HOW IT HAPPENED.
Yeah. Yeah that’s, there’s times when you do get approached and you know personally players, in the back of your head, players are out there, either on your team, or on the other team, are getting approached to bet on games. And if you’re betting on games that means: a) you have a high opportunity to throw a game because you want to make extra money. So in the back of your head, you are (wondering). so I get approached a lot and me personally I turn it down. I don’t know what other people do because you don’t know what they’re thinking, you don’t know what they’re doing in desperate time. You’re not with them everyday or every minute of the day so.
THAT GAME PARTICULARLY DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT IT WAS, WHICH GAME IT WAS?
The one game last year that brought it to light for me was the Brantford game. We are on an 11 game unbeaten streak, like hottest team out there, first place. No team came close to beat us within that 11 games. And to go on an 11 game winning streak your team has to be performing good and we went there and within 20 minutes in the game it was 4-0.
FOR BRANTFORD?
For Brantford. And that kind of shook me up as a player, as a professional, as a team leader. And (there it was) 5-0 at halftime. Got in the dressing room, coach went off and he subbed a couple players, players were fighting each other the field. And this was a TV game too, so people were watching this. And that made me wonder like, 'what the hell is going on?' So, I know about betting ... So when I see that, I was thinking, 'Like these guys are actually throwing the game. Like these guys bet against for us to lose.'
DID YOU EVER TALK TO YOUR TEAMMATES ABOUT IT?
Yeah we had a meet, we had a team meeting. And…
PLAYERS ONLY OR COACHES?
Players only team meeting and we discussed it. Like guys is there anyone that’s betting? Even if you’re not betting on your team, even if you’re not betting against your team are you guys betting? And everyone said no they’re not betting so.
BUT YOU DIDN’T BELIEVE THEM?
I didn’t say I didn’t believe them because you have to have trust in your teammates. I do believe they’re not doing it but that game just made me think even more, is it really going on?
BUT YOUR GOALIE, YOU THOUGHT THAT HE WASN’T, OR THAT HE WAS (FIXING)?
I thought he was a part of it that game for sure. That one game I thought he was a part of it because the goals in that game and the stuff he was doing in that game, made me think about it.
BECAUSE HE DROPPED THE BALL OR?
Dropped the ball, he was fighting with his teammates. Then he got subbed at halftime.
WHICH GAME WAS THAT?
The Brantford game. The same Brantford game in Brantford last year.
HOW MANY GOALS WERE SCORED IN THE SECOND HALF?
None. We scored 2.
DID YOU EVER TALK TO YOUR GOALIE ABOUT IT?
Yeah as I said we discussed it. I discussed it personally with him. I discussed it again with the group and he said he was just having a bad game.
WE DON’T EVEN NEED YOU TO REALLY POINT FINGERS IN THAT SENSE, JUST WHAT OTHER INSTANCES HAVE YOU HAD WHERE YOU HAVE BEEN APPROACHED BY PEOPLE TO FIX GAMES?
Um, I’d say the London game last year.
SO WALK US THROUGH THAT ONE AGAIN. THEY APPROACHED YOU WHERE?
At the field. Like I was warming up, as I say, I was warm. Last guy to come off the field and a gentleman stopped me you know and say “Like I know the odds for London to beat you guys is a lot, is it possible, do you want to make some money?” and I go 'No.' And then he was just telling me that 'Listen, even if you score three goals I will, you’ll still make money' or whatever the case may be. I said I don’t want nothing to do with it. I’m a soccer player. If I go out there and I score three goals I score three goals. If I score 4 goals I score 4 goals. If I don’t score, I don’t score. So it’s just that’s just the way they do stuff. And I guess this year I got approached in Ottawa about the same thing.
WHERE DID HE APPROACH YOU?
Same on the side, when…
SIDELINES?
Yeah sidelines. Not really on the field but when you’re walking out to warm up at the stand, they will call you and talk to you because they have access close to the players and…
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT AFTER THAT?
After that he talked, tell me what he wants to tell me and then I walked away, went to warm up and that’s it and it’s done.
WHAT DID HE OFFER YOU THIS TIME?
They try to be slick. 'You want to make some money?' Obviously, as soon as they say, "You want to make some money, they are not giving me a job so there’s no way they’re paying me to…
RIGHT, THEY’RE NOT OFFERING YOU TO PAINT HIS HOUSE.
Exactly exactly. So it has to be some bullshit. So once I hear that I don’t even respond no more. I just let them talk and once they’re done talking I just walk away. And then two weeks ago in Brantford, when the gentleman brought me in his car, sit me down and ask me if I want to throw the game when we play. And I go no and I walked out and I left.
WALK US THROUGH THAT ONE AGAIN. HE BROUGHT YOU INTO THE CAR, YOU COME INTO THE PARKING LOT.
We had a game. The game got rained out, so we came back in the parking lot and my girlfriend was waiting for me. So as soon as I’m going into the car to drive away he called me he’s like “(Redacted) can I speak to you?” and I’m like “sure.” And then we went in his car and he’s like “come, sit” and…
AND YOU’D NEVER SEEN HIM BEFORE.
Never seen him before. First time I’d ever seen this dude. Went down, sit and then he’s telling me “eh”…
WHAT KIND OF CAR WAS IT?
Um I have no idea man…
NICE CAR? SHITTY CAR?
It wasn’t all that. It was fucking dirty inside. So I sit down and he’s like, you know, “You want to make some money?” And I’m like "Oh my god, if someone tell me I want to make some money again I’m going to lose it." So, anyways he go, “You know if any of your players want to make some money? You guys want to you know throw the games” or whatever the case maybe and I’m like…
HE SAID THAT?
Yeah.
THROW THE GAME?
Yeah. I’m like, "I don’t want no part of that bro. No that’s it I’m good." He’s like, “C’mon man.” I’m like, “no I’m good.” And I just said, “Are you done?” and he’s like “alright sure." And open the door, walk out and get the fuck out.
YOU EVER BEEN THREATENED BY THEM?
No. They won’t dare to do that to me bro. (laughs) These guys, they don’t know me like that.
THEY KNOW BETTER.
Yeah. They don’t know me like that.
YOU’VE BEEN APPROACHED AGAIN THIS YEAR?
Yeah this year there’s action but most of the, I think, most of the action was last year.
THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE EVER APPROACHED, WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST REACTION?
My first reaction was, I knew it was happening but I was shocked. Like “why me?” But I guess, as you could say, I’m one of the guys that’s well known in the league. They don’t know, they probably think because: a) money. 
(Redacted) going to want money.
HE (IS GOING TO) NEED SOME HELP.
That’s not me bro. I’m a loyal guy. I’ve been loyal from day one and nothing’s going to change me.
HOW DID YOU KNOW IT WAS HAPENNING ALREADY BEFORE YOU WERE APPROACHED?
Because to be honest with you, there’s guys out there that I hear them talk. Whispers come around.
SO THEN AFTER THE FIRST TIME YOU WERE APPROACHED WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
Um, well it keeps happening. Like you hear about it. Like you get approached and you get asked “You think anyone is fixing games?" It got to the point, even after the Brantford game, it got to the point that people start asking questions about about guys on my team like “you guys throwing games?” And I’m like 'No noone is throwing games. Noone dares to fucking throw games, because if I personally find out anyone is throwing games, on my team, that’s it.'
WHAT I MEANT WAS WHAT HAPPENED NEXT THAT DAY. YOU GET APPROACHED, GOT IN THE CAR AND SAID NO WHAT HAPPENED NEXT?
And that’s it.
YOU JUST GOT OUT AND LEFT?
Got out and left. Drove went home. When I came, when we went back up there to play I’m surprised no one approached me again then.
SO AFTER THE LONDON TIME WHEN WAS THE NEXT TIME YOU WERE APPROACHED?
Last year? I guess the next time, after that you’re going back last year man. I don’t remember half the things I do last year ... But this year, I got approached twice this year.
IT’S DIFFERENT GUYS EVERY TIME?
It’s different guys. So it’s not like the guy who approached me the first time called this guy and go “Try (redacted) again.’ I don’t think that’s the reason. I guess the reason is I’m one of the guys that’s known in the league as a guy that could win a game for you. Or maybe I could lose a game for you. So it’s like that. So I personally think maybe that’s the reason. Because the game could be 2-2 and I get the opportunity to score the winning goal. Or I could get the opportunity to get the winning goal and I miss it on purpose.
WHAT KIND OF MONEY ARE THEY TALKING?
I think it was first time, $2000, $3000, something like that.
WAS HE OFFERING TO PAY YOU RIGHT THEN AND THERE OR AT A LATER TIME?
Honestly we didn’t get that far. We didn’t get that far because I wasn’t interested at all so we didn’t get that far.
WHAT HAVE, IN TERMS OF THIS SEASON LIKE YOU WERE PERSONALLY APPROACHED BUT WHAT HAVE YOU HEARD ELSE ABOUT BRANTFORD OR ANY OTHER TEAMS POTENTIALLY BEING INVOLVED?
For even last year the main teams that you hear, the name called up about match fixing or gambling on games are the Brantford and Serbia. Those two teams you hear about match fixing a lot. They’re losing to London, Astros, they’re losing to teams they have no business losing to and then you see a guy like (redacted) coming toward you flashing money say “hey I gambled on this game and I made this amount of money” and stuff. So he’s out there with it he’s one of the guys that’s out there with it.
YOU WERE SAYING EARLIER THOUGH, WHEN WE WERE TALKING THAT YOU THINK THAT IT GOES ABOVE THE PLAYERS NOW YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE AT THE ORGANIZED CRIME LEVEL.
Yeah, as I was saying the way it was at last year. I think it’s above soccer players. I think it’s at, an organized thing right now.