Former High School Basketball Star Among Banned Globally from the Sport

Bans have been handed down by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the British Basketball Federation (BBF) against five players who are accused of engaging in match-fixing. As a result, the players have been banned from participating in any officially sanctioned events by the federations globally.

Undisclosed Offenses Tie High School Basketball Legend to Match-Fixers

Among the people to have received a penalty is Josh McFolley, 28, who is an absolute legend in high school basketball circles. The Detroit Mercy player took Detroit Western High School to the state championship in 2015, with the team posting an unbeaten 26-0 run.

McFolley’s involvement, though, has been considered small enough to be banned only until 2036, which means that the player will return to the sport, if he chooses to in his late 30s. However, there is one important clarification to be made here. McFolley was never officially accused of match-fixing himself, and the punishment may be related to, say, the player not reporting the violations himself.  

The rest of the people to have received penalties have not been that lucky, with other offenders, such as Padiet Wang and Shakem Johnston receiving long-term or lifelong bans.

No Escaping Regulators When Match-Fixing Is Involved

Interestingly, the offenses were registered as part of the now-defunct BBL, but just because the league has ceased to exist, this does not mean that players or offenders are off the hook. A UK Gambling Commission-led probe has helped shed light on the offenses and identified the parties involved, as well as established the severity of their transgressions.

Many sports betting offenses are caught months or years after the fact, and while the law may move slowly, it moves inexorably, and regulators have tools to ensure that even if you haven’t been caught red-handed, you may expect a metaphorical knock on the door years from now.