FA ready to take action if betting patterns prove insiders profited from John Terry Chelsea substitution

The Football Association are prepared to take action if betting patterns demonstrates that anyone linked to Chelsea or Sunderland cashed in on knowledge of John Terry’s pre-planned substitution, after bookmakers claimed that £3,500 had been made.

The governing body indicated last night that it had asked betting companies for information on bets relating to the Terry substitution, through the Gambling Commission. One bookmaker claimed that it had paid out to three punters after accepting bets on the specific time of Terry’s first half substitution, at 100-1. The bookmaker accepted the bets on the 36-year-old being substituted between 26 and 26.59 minutes in Sunday’s Premier League clash with Sunderland – his last as a Chelsea player. Terry was called off after 26 minutes and left the field after 28.

The Football Association would not comment on the substitution though it is understood that the governing body would consider examining the decision to orchestrate an event for which there is a spot betting market of cause if someone with inside knowledge of the plan had passed the information on.

The FA would draw on the sports betting intelligence unit of the Gambling Commission, which can access data about any bet laid and all betting patterns. Bookmakers must provide such information under the terms of their license. The Commission said it was ready to investigate for the FA but would not comment on the Terry incident.

Terry indicated after Sunday’s 3-1 win over Sunderland that he had asked manager Antonio Conte to substitute him on 26 minutes, in recognition of his shirt number, and Sunderland manager David Moyes, who resigned on Monday, also said that he was in on the information. Though there is no evidence that anyone used inside information to profit, the stunt does create potential for manipulation of a market.

Betting firm Paddy Power said in a statement on Monday: "We replied to a novelty request for odds on John Terry's substitution - one of hundreds on the Chelsea game - and fair play to the three punters who were on at odds of 100-1.”

There has been precedent at Chelsea. Didier Drogba was carried off by team-mates midway through the first half of a fixture with Sunderland two years ago on his farewell appearance.

One punter who attended the game predicted something similar regarding Terry and made an enquiry with Paddy Power before placing a £25 bet on the phone. The punter, who wished to remain anonymous, told the Press Association: "We thought maybe 10-1, 15-1 at most as there was a precedent set (by Drogba's substitution). I consider myself relatively lucky."

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Another punter said he opened an account with Paddy Power in order to place the bet, which was only possible to do over the phone. The Chelsea fan was not watching the game, but says he put on a £10 stake and received his winnings in his account on Monday.

It is understood that neither the FA nor the Premier League consider the act of pre-agreeing a substitution time against the rules. FA rules regarding match-fixing state that: “Fixing is arranging in advance the result or conduct of a match of competition, or any event within a match or competition.”