Coming down hard
The British Basketball Federation (BBF) and the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) have named former Detroit Mercy star Josh McFolley, 28, as one of five basketball players to receive worldwide bans for match-fixing.
McFolley, who led his high school Detroit Western team on a 26-0 run to a state championship in 2015, received one of the lighter sentences handed out Monday.
won’t play professionally again until his late 30s
FIBA’s ban on the guard until 2036 means, however, McFolley won’t play professionally again until his late 30s.
Along with McFolley, FIBA also sanctioned Shakem Johnston and Padiet Wang with “lifetime or long-term suspensions.” The BBF meanwhile hit Quincy Taylor and Charleston Dobbs with lifetime bans and fines. All banned players were accused of match-fixing while turning out for Guildford-UK based Surrey Scorchers, a franchise that competed in the former British Basketball League (BBL).
Law’s long memory
According to a UK Gambling Commission news release, its internal intelligence investigators supported the probe into match-fixing and regulatory violations within the now defunct BBL.
The demise of the BBL didn’t, however, stop UK investigators from digging up shady betting activity dating back to the Surrey Scorchers 2022-23 season.
The UKGC stated the FIBA led, BFF-supported investigation “identified at least six compromised matches.”
The five players were banned for manipulating the outcome of games and failing to report corrupt activity.
Parting shot
The UK regulatory body said the bans reinforced the commitment of the investigating partners “and other stakeholders to maintaining integrity in sport and enforcing a zero-tolerance policy toward betting-related corruption.”
didn’t divulge if McFolley’s ban was for match fixing
According to reports, the sanctioning bodies didn’t divulge if McFolley’s ban was for match fixing, failing to report corruption, or both.
During the Surrey Scorchers’ 2022-23 season, McFolley averaged 19.5 points, 3.9 assists, and 2.5 rebounds. The Detroit native, who has the right to appeal his ban, played four seasons for Detroit Mercy before his globetrotting took him to play professionally in the UK, Luxembourg, Finland, Georgia, Kosovo, and Slovakia.
