- A Fordham basketball player agreed to throw a game for money, but ultimately changed his mind and played with full effort, leading to a Fordham basketball win.
- Two players, Elijah Gray and Will Richardson, are ineligible by the NCAA after allegedly being involved in game manipulation for sports betting reasons.
- Gray admitted to violating the rules but denied manipulating the game, while Richardson didn’t cooperate with the investigation.
BRONX, N.Y. – What are the legal and ethical implications of agreeing to throw a game but then not doing it? Based on Fordham basketball player Elijah Gray’s comments, that’s exactly what happened.
Gray, alongside teammate Will Richardson, were approached by a known bettor and a former NBA player involved in a sports betting bribery scheme. They bribed more than $10,000 to lose a game and agreed. The statement from the NCAA shows that Gray had second thoughts about his decision and ultimately played to win the game.
“Gray stated that both players agreed to lose the game in exchange for $10,000-$15,000 in payments each. However, Gray stated that he ultimately reconsidered manipulating the game and said he played with his normal effort, and Fordham won the game. The bettor contacted Gray after the game to express disappointment, and Gray stated that he did not respond to the message or continue to communicate with him. Gray also did not receive any payment from the bettor.”
Last Minute Morals Didn’t Save Gray From Ineligibility
The release also claims that Gray admitted to violating rules by providing information to a bettor, but maintained that he didn’t participate in the scheme. He was also remorseful for his actions, but that won’t save his collegiate athletic career.
Although Gray claims to have not gone through with the point shaving sports betting scheme, Gray and Richardson’s violations of NCAA ethical conduct rules are Level 1. These violations make both players ineligible for future competition, with their only chance of reinstatement coming from the assistance of Fordham or another NCAA school.
