When I say any competitive event can be fixed, I do mean it!!!

And Brian Tuohy has one you guys probably never thought of.

In one of his latest articles for Examiner.com, Tuohy reports that a number of Korean video game players have been banned or severely fined for taking part in a match-fixing scandal for the professional players of the video game Starcraft.

Let that process.

The professional competitions in Korea can be wagered upon by the general public over there.  (Not surprising, as their e-athletes have such a high regard over there that an Olympic-like event, the World Cyber Games, was created for e-sports.  I actually was an attendee when the WCG was held in San Francisco one time.  Got to meet, and get my butt kicked by, Fata1ty.  Nice guy.)

So it should come as an even lesser surprise to people reading this blog that some of the Korean Starcraft players have been busted for match-fixing.

Sixteen people were involved, with one being a professional soccer player in Korea, while a known gangster was proven implicated.

Still laughing?  The 12 matches proven fixed netted the ring over $120,000 US.

Players would not only be asked to throw the matches, but then would go online where the matches could be wagered upon and wager against themselves!

The company creating the game, Blizzard (same company as Diablo III and World of Warcraft) has seized control of professional Starcraft.

One of my major disagreements with Tuohy is that I, unlike the author (who has just finished the main writing on the follow-up book to The Fix is In), do believe that any relevant competition which can be fixed probably is.

Any wonder why I feel that way after reading something like this?

EDITED TO ADD 6/9/2012:  I was going to leave this to Brian, but I'm just adding this for emphasis.  You can now add the Miss USA Pageant to the list, as one of the contestants resigned after stating she saw another contestant rattle off, in order, the final five contestants before the show even aired.  (To my understanding, as I haven't seen a beauty pageant in years, there is a televised "semi-final" round which is supposed to be judged in between.)

She's being sued by at least one Miss USA/Universe level company.

The point I wish to make is that I disagree with Brian on one very relevant level:  ANYTHING WHICH CAN BE FIXED IS FIXED.  For example, they're holding the Major League Gaming Spring Championships this weekend for Starcraft.  Top prize:  $25,000.

Now think of all the business interests within Miss USA -- and it's leader, Donald Trump, who named Arsenio Hall his "Celebrity Apprentice" over Clay Aiken, even though Aiken out-raised Hall in the final charity challenge, and members of Hall's team were donating to Aiken to aid his winning.