The British Horseracing Authority has charged a jockey and eight others, including three soccer players, with race fixing.
The charges follow an investigation into suspicious betting, focusing on wagers that horses would lose between Nov. 1, 2010, and March 31, 2011, at Lingfield and Kempton.
Jockey Andrew Heffernan, who is licensed to ride in Australia, has been charged with five corruption offenses, including offering to receive or receiving a bribe. The BHA alleges he "intentionally failed to ensure that a horse ridden by him was run on its merits."
Among the eight other people charged is Ipswich striker Michael Chopra, who is accused of offering a bribe to Heffernan and conspiring to "commit a corrupt or fraudulent practice by placing bets."
Nottingham Forest midfielder James Coppinger and former Manchester United player Mark Wilson also have been charged.