Chopra has been charged with horse race fixing

Ipswich Town striker Michael Chopra has been charged with race fixing by the British Horseracing Authority.

Chopra, 28, is one of three footballers charged with breaches of the rules of racing announced on Thursday following a lengthy investigation by the BHA.

Chopra is alleged to have conspired with Nottingham Forest midfielder James Coppinger, and former Manchester United and England under-21 international Mark Wilson, currently unattached, and jockey Andrew Heffernen to fix races.

Chopra, Coppinger and Wilson are all charged with conspiring to “commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice” under the rules of racing.

If found guilty of the charges they face long bans from involvement with racing, including attending racecourses or talking to licensed individuals. The entry-level for the offences is a three-year ban.

Heffernan, who is now based in Australia, faces five charges of corruption, including one of stopping a horse, one of accepting a bribe and two of breaking the rules regarding the use of inside information.

If found guilty of stopping a horse – deliberately preventing it winning – he could be banned for eight years.

Chopra, Coppinger and Wilson are alleged to have been part of a fixing operation that also included five other individuals not licensed under the rules of racing.

The Football Association is aware of the charges but is unlikely to take any action against the players immediately. It will let the BHA process run its course before considering any disciplinary measures.

While club owners and directors can face sanctions for breaches of the rules of other sports, there are no regulations directly addressing the issue in relation to players.

Heffernan, 24, who is reported to have ridden as an apprentice for Mick Channon and Mark Johnston, moved to Australia to race earlier this year. He is understood to have been stood down from riding by the Australian authorities following the BHA charges.

Chopra, who has scored three times for Ipswich this season, has admitted to a long-standing gambling addiction and has claimed to have lost more than £1m as a result.

In 2011 he was admitted for treatment at the Sporting Chance clinic and commuted from the addiction treatment centre to training and matches.

In an attempt to help him Ipswich have also at times paid his monthly wages directly to those he owes significant amounts. when he signed for the club in June 2011 Ipswich paid him £250,000 to help settle his debts.

Speaking in November 2011, Chopra talked about his gambling habit.

"Your first bet's your worst bet. As the years have come along and I've earned more money I've started to gamble more. I was gambling up to £20,000 a day at times. As soon as I'd step over the white line I would focus on football – but as soon as I got to the dressing room I would check my phone to see if I'd won.

"As a gambler you want to be playing to get the appearance money. I was playing through injury to cover a debt."

Chopra, who is a Newcastle fan, revealed he left Cardiff for Sunderland because the signing-on fee would pay off a gambling debt.

"In my first season at Cardiff I had a gambling debt from when I was at Newcastle. I had to leave Cardiff and sign for another team to pay that debt off. I have probably lost between £1.5m and £2m on gambling."

Coppinger, 31, joined Forest in August from Doncaster, where he made 263 appearances in an eight-year spell. He has made two appearances for his new club this season.

His Twitter profile page @copster26 reads: “Success comes from good decisions. good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from bad decisions.”

Wilson joined United as a trainee in 1997, playing three times for the first team and once for England under-21s, in 2000, before joining Middlesbrough in 2001 for £1.5m. He has played for 11 other clubs, including a one-year spell in the US playing for Dallas FC. His most recent club was Oxford United, but he was released earlier this year.

Is a gambling addiction about the thrill or is it just about winning?

Fixing an outcome really doesn't help if it's the thrill so it must be about winning.

If it's about winning are there any games in Chopra's past that may be called into question?

Is a gambling addiction about the thrill or is it just about winning?

Fixing an outcome really doesn't help if it's the thrill so it must be about winning.

If it's about winning are there any games in Chopra's past that may be called into question?

Exactly what I was thinking....

Not very nice being SADDLED with that.
perhaps this will make him REIN himself in a BITT and lead a more STABLE life...........well it may SPUR him on a little.

Not very nice being SADDLED with that.
perhaps this will make him REIN himself in a BITT and lead a more STABLE life...........well it may SPUR him on a little.

Never knew his name was Rocky

http://www.britishhorseracing.presscent ... g-303.aspx

Whats the odds on that?

He's had a bit of a mare ...

Is a gambling addiction about the thrill or is it just about winning?

Fixing an outcome really doesn't help if it's the thrill so it must be about winning.

If it's about winning are there any games in Chopra's past that may be called into question?

wonder if he bet city to lose 3-0 to reading in the playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!

Is a gambling addiction about the thrill or is it just about winning?

Fixing an outcome really doesn't help if it's the thrill so it must be about winning.

If it's about winning are there any games in Chopra's past that may be called into question?

wonder if he bet city to lose 3-0 to reading in the playoffs!!!!!!!!!!!

0-0 from the 1st leg we must have been the favourites to go through, then 0-2 down at half time with Chopra substituted on 64 minutes.

Sky live commentary and I quoted, "Chopra, who has been quiet, is replaced by the giant that is Parkin."

You cant really blame chopra for that game everyone was shit and the goals he had no part in what so ever. He has a serious problem and its an illness that needs to be treated but he needs to help himself as well

trying to make hay on the city eh........well he did gallop of a bit sharp......he was'nt the only one out on the hoof mind.........there were 3 there at the finish.......we seen the photo.......one of the stewards was there for the enquirey.......he has shown his true colours now anyway......he'll get the shoe for this.......

Shocked by this news.

Got friendly with James Coppinger and his family on holiday this year and he was very down to earth. Very proffesional attitude (had 3 lagers a night max, wouldnt drink shorts with us, always first to bed) and didnt give it the big un at all. His missus had a good job at the hospital and wasnt the WAG type. All in all a very nice family.

He actually told me about this scam at dinner one night. He was with Chops at Newcastle and with me being a compulsive gambler, and a City fan, the talk got around to Chopra. He told me his room mate at Donny - Marc Wilson, Chopra and a Jockey were being investigated because of a scam they had been up to, but they got too greedy and laid a stupid amount which set alarm bells ringing.

He didnt intimate he was involved, and didnt really talk gambling other than that, or wouldnt play cards for money with us, so didnt strike me as the gambling type, as most people who gamble have always got their hard luck stories, or cannot resist a gamble, even over a game of cards.

Dont know if hes been caught up in it cos of his room mate, but am surprised hes involved.

What were the odds on Chopra being involved in this?

"neigh neigh" surely not

Who's that getting nicked by Old Bill?

It's Michael Chopra, it's Michael Chopra!

Loved chops. But you have to think. I remember the season he started on fire(the burning boot celebration against the wurzels)
I thought he would score 30 that year, but, just but, he had a bet on how many he would score, I hope not but who knows.

i heard that chopra used to play with an injury just to get his appearance fee so that he could use it towards his gambling issues.

Ha ha unlucky Chops no sympathy from me you gobby little shite

Should of give up Football and had a break ages ago to sort his problems out.. his own fault.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/racing ... l?ITO=1490