UEFA investigating 40 match-fixing cases, mainly involving eastern European clubs

UEFA investigating 40 cases of match-fixing

LONDON — UEFA is investigating 40 cases of suspected match-fixing in the Champions League and UEFA Cup, mostly involving eastern European clubs.

The number of matches being scrutinized for suspicious betting patterns has risen from 25 in the last year, Peter Limacher, head of disciplinary services for European soccer’s governing body, told The Associated Press on Friday.

The matches under investigation were early qualifying games that took place over the last four seasons, 15 were played in the last two years.

UEFA has beefed up its early warning system to protect against illegal betting and match-fixing, and started a special investigation to clamp down on the problem.

“Right now it’s mainly eastern Europe clubs being investigated. They know they are not going to be involved later in the tournament and they are going out, so decide, ‘Let’s make a profit,’” Limacher said in an interview with the AP in London. “In the cases we have seen it’s really the deliberate planned fix of the games, the whole games. First the result at halftime then after 90 minutes.

“It might take some time (to get a conviction), but in cases where we can work together with the police that might be possible.”

Limacher revealed the scale of the probe after his organization announced last month that three Macedonian clubs were being investigated after it banned FK Pobeda from European competitions for eight years.

In the Pobeda case, the club’s president and a former player were banned for life after UEFA found they manipulated the result “to gain an undue advantage for themselves and a third party.”

“It’s possible as well depending on the network that a whole club could be actively involved, that is something that is happening and players are being contacted by these gangs and then they will take money,” Limacher said on the sidelines of a World Sports Law Report conference.

“We have to be careful as well to make distinction between inside information and a deliberate fix,” he said. “There is a difference but we look into both of them.”

Betting syndicates based in Asia are the primary concern for UEFA.

“The fix is often taking place in Europe and all they do is place the money online through an agent in Asia or through another agent,” Limacher said. “In Asia you can place bets without any limits for say 50,000 dollars, but in Europe you have more regulated limits.

“Having this system creates a lot of liquidity. That’s the key thing for criminal organizations. If they are interested in money laundering, they can turn over big amounts.”