German prosecutors investigating corruption in soccer said 15 people in Germany and two in Switzerland have been arrested and that about 200 games in Europe — including Champions League matches — are involved in what an UEFA official called the biggest match-fixing scandal in Europe.
Police said on Friday that more than 50 raids had been conducted in Switzerland, Austria, Germany and Britain and that evidence, 1 million euros (US$1.48 million) in cash and other valuables have been seized.
Authorities believe they have arrested the leaders of the gang suspected of manipulating games to make money on betting. No identities were released, although they said about 200 people are suspected of being involved.
PHOTO: AFP
“UEFA will be demanding the harshest of sanctions before the competent courts for any individuals, clubs or officials who are implicated in this malpractice, be it under state or sports jurisdiction,” UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
Among the games believed to have been manipulated are three Champions League matches and 12 Europa League games, all this year. UEFA said all were early qualifying round games. A qualifying match for the Under-21 European Championship is also under suspicion.
Games in nine European countries are believed to have been manipulated, although none in England, Spain, Italy or France.
The suspected games in Germany were played in the second-division or lower. Other countries involved are Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia and Austria.
Media reports in Berlin said two Croatian brothers convicted in Germany’s match-fixing scandal in 2005 were among those arrested on Thursday.
The Berliner Morgenpost reported on Thursday that Ante Sapina and his brother Milan were among five people arrested in Berlin. Ante Sapina’s lawyer Stefan Conen confirmed on Friday that his client was in custody.
Ante Sapina was convicted of fraud in 2005 and sentenced to 35 months in prison for fixing or attempting to fix 23 games by paying German referee Robert Hoyzer to rig matches Sapina and his brothers bet on.
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