In professional cycling, Greg Lemond told Play the Game, the worst-case doping scenarios often come true

Coventry University journalism students publish news hourly from Play the Game 2009. Watch the e-newsletter here: http://cutoday.wordpress.com/

In Monday’s final session of Play the Game 2009, a number of experts gave varied and incisive presentations on football’s finances. In today’s economic climate, they asked, will football survive in its present state? And if not, what changes can we expect?

The rumours are no longer rumours. They are facts. This was the message delivered by Declan Hill, one of the world’s leading experts on soccer match fixing. Speaking on the first day of the Play the Game conference, Hill gave a detailed account of his experiences investigating bribery and corruption in soccer over the past ten years.

Play the Game is disappointed to learn that one of the scheduled speakers in Coventry, Muhammad Dhakaba, has been unable to secure a visa to attend the conference.