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NBA Ref Asserts Innocence as Gambling Investigation Ends
NEW YORK, NEW YORK --
Perhaps it's just that the Tim Donaghy gambling scandal has basketball fans seeing conspiracies where none exist. Once it is revealed that one National Basketball Association official has used his power to influence the outcomes of games, then it is natural to ask, who else?
The man put in the spotlight of that question is Scott Foster. After his arrest for making calls in games to fix the results for gambling associates, Donaghy swore there were no other referees involved. But a reporter unearthed phone records showing voluminous calls from Donaghy to Foster.
The calls were all made directly before games to be officiated by either of the two men, and lasted for short periods, usually around a minute. Donaghy used the same phone he dialed his wagering buddies with, and he often called them right before or after Foster.
There had been no previous reason to suspect Foster's involvement, and the evidence was flimsy and circumstantial. But the NBA needed a quick and public certificate of health, so investigators examined Foster.
The official report by former federal prosecutor Lawrence Pedowitz exonerated Foster. Pedowitz found that, other than playing at casinos against league rules, no official had broken the code like Donaghy. Now the NBA has given Foster permission to speak to the press.
The frequent short calls between the ex-friends amounts to the same time a cellphone might go to voicemail and receive a message. Foster's phone records showed as many calls to other refs as to Donaghy.
Foster spoke of the ordeal his family has been through. Perhaps the press would have been less speculative if Commissioner David Stern were not known for his controlling tactics. Some even wondered if Foster might be cleared and then suddenly retire for "family reasons", removing a problem without continuing the league's embarrassment.
The best proof of Foster's innocence is his presence on the courts this year. If the NBA had a whiff of guilt regarding the official, they may not publicize it, but surely he would be gone.
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