FOOTBALL : UEFA have confirmed they are continuing investigations into seven European fixtures suspected in a massive match-fixing operation.
UEFA have confirmed they are continuing investigations into seven European fixtures suspected in a massive match-fixing operation.
The case was first brought to light by the authorities in Germany, but UEFA has now opened its own investigation.
Following meetings on Wednesday with nine national football associations, Europe’s governing body has named five clubs as being those under scrutiny. The clubs are KF Tirana and KS Vllaznia of Albania, FC Dinaburg of Latvia, NK IB Ljubljana of Slovenia, and Budapest Honved of Hungary.
Seven matches, one a Champions League qualifier and the other six Europa League qualifiers, all played between July 16 and August 6, are under investigation.
In a lengthy statement, UEFA added it was also looking into the roles of three referees and one other official in the case.
The probe by the German authorities is looking into “around 200” matches in total, the majority of them in domestic leagues.
UEFA have focused solely on those continental fixtures under its jurisdiction, and had begun with a list of 40 before cutting it down to those seven revealed today.
The games UEFA are looking at are the Champions League second round qualifier between Stabaek IF and Tirana; both legs of the the Europa League second round qualifiers between Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC and FC Dinaburg and KS Vllaznia and Rapid Vienna; and both legs of the Europa League third round qualifier between NK IB Ljubljana and Metallurg Donetsk.
UEFA’s statement said: “UEFA wishes to stress that it has been co-operating fully with the German police and authorities on the case and indeed, following a request from the German police for information on a number of matches, UEFA was able to assist thanks to its Betting Fraud Detection System that has been monitoring all UEFA competitions and European national league first- and second-division matches for irregular betting patterns since July 2009.
“UEFA will file criminal complaints, together with the relevant national associations, as soon as possible against clubs, officials and/or players in those countries concerned.”
