The Fifa Code of Ethics prohibits active participants in football from endorsing sports betting operators. How is it that Atlético de Madrid's manager Diego Simeone is the current official ambassador of Betinia and Campobet?
By Philippe Auclair
One of the favourite marketing tools of sports betting operators, legal or not, is to use famous figures to endorse their brands. These figures can be musicians like Nicki Minaj, comedians like Chris Rock, porn stars like Eva Elfie and Maria Ogawa and influencers - like too many to mention.
It is even better, though, if the ambassador happens to be a "name" in sport, especially in football, though there is a hitch. Former stars can promote whoever they want, and do: Josimar's database of ex-footballers turned gambling ambassadors (mostly for illegal operators) runs to well over a hundred names, from Dimitar Berbatov to Francesco Totti to Michael Owen and Eden Hazard; but current players and managers are bound by Fifa's Code of Ethics and, as such, have to keep out of that lucrative game until they retire (*).
Or do they?
The case of Atlético de Madrid's manager Diego Simeone suggests that, at least in practice, some of them don't.
Code? What code?
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