2007年VOA标准英语-FBI Blows Whistle on NBA Referee

By Mil Arcega
Washington, D.C.
26 July 2007
 

The National Basketball Association is on the defensive¹ as the probe into a betting scandal involving one of its referees³ widens. The FBI investigation⁴ into veteran referee² Tim Donaghy's alleged⁵ gambling⁶ activities in and outside the basketball court has shaken up the league. It is also forcing some fans to question the legitimacy⁷ of professional sports.  VOA's Mil Arcega reports.

Veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy is accused of betting on games that he officiated

Allegations that veteran NBA referee Tim Donaghy bet on games that he officiated -- came as a disappointment to people who love the sport. Basketball analyst⁸ Stephen A. Smith remarks, "It says to the fans, the game itself that you're watching, the competitive fervor⁹ it involves and everything that comes along with it, just throw it out the window because somebody is trying to dictate¹⁰ the outcome."

A federal investigation is focusing on as many as 15 games where Donaghy made calls that could have affected¹¹ the margin¹² of victory.

Commissioner13 David Stern" hspace="2" src="/upimg/allimg/070728/1109081.jpg" width="210" vspace="2" border="0" />

NBA Commissioner David Stern

At a hastily arranged news conference, NBA Commissioner David Stern called the betting scandal the worst he has seen in 40 years with the league.  "This is not something that is anything other than an act of betrayal of what we know in sports as a sacred trust. We think we have here, a rogue¹⁴, isolated¹⁵ criminal."

Sources close to the investigation say Donaghy had a gambling problem and was working with bookies with organized crime connections to pay off his debts.

Gambling experts say it would have been reasonably easy for a seasoned referee to affect the outcome of a game.  R.J. Bell at Pregame.com has noted¹⁶ some troubling patterns in Donaghy's record.  "Last season, in the 15 games in which Tim Donaghy refereed¹⁷ in which there was extreme money bet on one side -- one team betting more [having more bets placed on it] than the other -- the bettors won every time. The odds¹⁸ of that happening by pure chance are over 32,000 to one."

Sportswriter Chris Broussard

Sportswriter Chris Broussard says even more troubling is if more referees are implicated¹⁹ -- a possibility that investigators²⁰ have not yet ruled out. "If you have one rogue official, as we appear to have in this case, that's bad enough. And that does cast a shadow over the season. But to have three, four or more, even two, that really makes it that much worse."

NBA Commissioner Stern assures fans the league is making every effort to restore the game's credibility. But some say that may not be easy. From coaches to players, to fans -- the disappointment is obvious.

"Every time I look at it now, I'll be concerned whether it's the right call or whether it's a call made to put profit in the referee's pocket," says one fan. "It could be a foul²¹ and he wouldn't call it cause he wants the other team to win," says another.

Donaghy resigned earlier this month after 13 seasons with the NBA.

1 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

2 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

3 referees   

n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 )；证明人；公断人；（专业性强的文章的）审阅人

参考例句：

• The fiery player has had numerous run-ins with referees. 这位脾气暴躁的队员曾和裁判员发生过无数次争吵。
• If you want to appeal, the Court of Referees will decide. 如果你要上诉，可以由仲裁法庭去判决。 来自辞典例句

4 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

5 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

6 gambling   

n.赌博；投机

参考例句：

• They have won a lot of money through gambling.他们赌博赢了很多钱。
• The men have been gambling away all night.那些人赌了整整一夜。

7 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。

8 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

9 fervor   

n.热诚；热心；炽热

参考例句：

• They were concerned only with their own religious fervor.他们只关心自己的宗教热诚。
• The speech aroused nationalist fervor.这个演讲喚起了民族主义热情。

10 dictate   

v.口授；(使)听写；指令，指示，命令

参考例句：

• It took him a long time to dictate this letter.口述这封信花了他很长时间。
• What right have you to dictate to others?你有什么资格向别人发号施令？

11 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

12 margin   

n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘

参考例句：

• We allowed a margin of 20 minutes in catching the train.我们有20分钟的余地赶火车。
• The village is situated at the margin of a forest.村子位于森林的边缘。

13 commissioner   

n.（政府厅、局、处等部门）专员，长官，委员

参考例句：

• The commissioner has issued a warrant for her arrest.专员发出了对她的逮捕令。
• He was tapped for police commissioner.他被任命为警务处长。

14 rogue   

n.流氓；v.游手好闲

参考例句：

• The little rogue had his grandpa's glasses on.这淘气鬼带上了他祖父的眼镜。
• They defined him as a rogue.他们确定他为骗子。

15 isolated   

adj.与世隔绝的

参考例句：

• His bad behaviour was just an isolated incident. 他的不良行为只是个别事件。
• Patients with the disease should be isolated. 这种病的患者应予以隔离。

16 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

17 refereed   

vi.担任裁判（referee的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• Your focus should be on getting papers published in refereed journals. 首要的就是发表文章，而且是在匿名审稿的杂志上。 来自互联网
• It was a national judge who refereed the game. 执法这场比赛的是国家裁判。 来自互联网

18 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

19 implicated   

adj.密切关联的；牵涉其中的

参考例句：

• These groups are very strongly implicated in the violence. 这些组织与这起暴力事件有着极大的关联。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Having the stolen goods in his possession implicated him in the robbery. 因藏有赃物使他涉有偷盗的嫌疑。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

20 investigators   

n.调查者，审查者( investigator的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This memo could be the smoking gun that investigators have been looking for. 这份备忘录可能是调查人员一直在寻找的证据。
• The team consisted of six investigators and two secretaries. 这个团队由六个调查人员和两个秘书组成。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！