(Sports Network) - It doesn't get much worse than this. Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy is under investigation by the FBI for allegedly betting on and fixing games that he worked during the past two seasons.

The FBI is looking into whether Donaghy, reportedly as part of a gambling scam involving organized crime members in New York, made game-changing or score- altering calls. Wow! This is just bad for the league and professional sports.

Commissioner David Stern has had to deal with plenty of difficult situations, but this is completely different. He has handed down harsh suspensions to players for not obeying the rules on the court, including the infamous brawls between the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers on November 19, 2004 at The Palace of Auburn Hills, and the spat that broke out between the Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks this past season at Madison Square Garden.

And let's not forget the suspensions handed down to Boris Diaw and Amare Stoudemire of the Phoenix Suns during their conference semifinal series against the San Antonio Spurs during this year's playoffs.

These incidents involved players losing their cool during games and behaving inappropriately. There is no excuse for going into the stands and confronting fans or for leaving the bench when something happens on the court.

Players need to control their emotions no matter what the circumstances are. They are expected to act in a respectful manner and project a positive image of the franchise and league that they represent. That doesn't always happen, of course.

While fights on the court are embarrassing to the league's image and show an ugly side of the NBA's players, Stern is able to deal with these situations and puts out the fire by handing down harsh suspensions and fines.

Fans want to see the best players in the league do their thing on the court, and decide the outcome of a contest because of the natural ability. They eventually forgive the fighting or derogatory quotes after a heated contest. After all, athletes are humans and sometimes they lose their cool in a heated moment.

Stern and the league are now involved in a different kind of mess. Where there's smoke there is usually fire. If the alleged accusations against Donaghy prove to be true, the NBA's integrity will be ruined. Recovering from a scandal like this would take a very long time. The lasting effects will almost certainly prove to be devastating.

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Allen Iverson, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are some of the superstars fans will pay to see. Fans want someone on their favorite team to hit a game-winning three at the buzzer or to block a possible game- winning shot by the other team's best player in the final seconds. No one wants to see a referee make a call that costs a team a game or changes the score of a game, especially an official that has an ulterior motive.

Officials make errors as well. They miss calls because, quite frankly, they are not perfect -- but to make a bad call to protect one's outside interests? That is corruption and there is no place for it in any kind of sports.

This investigation is devastating. There is no other way to describe it. Some of the most talented athletes in the world play in the NBA, and it could be a former referee who tarnishes the league for a long, long time.