Match-fixing scandal looms

UEFA has begun a full scale match-fixing investigation after Interpol turned over a 96 page dossier with information on Champions League, InterToto and UEFA Cup matches which are thought to be part of a betting scandal. 15 games are being examined. As of yet, no Premiership sides have been implicated.

German magazine Der Spiegel published details of three fixtures in the UEFA report.

Many millions of pounds were won on 3 different matches: an InterToto Cup game between Estonia's FC TVMK Tallinn and Finnish club FC Honka Espoo, 1m pounds were won by Asian bookmakers on the first leg of the UEFA Cup qualifier in July as Estonian side FC Narva Trans lost to Swedish club Helsingborgs 6-0. Suspicion arose after betters continued to pile on huge bets on a Helsingborgs win by a +3 goal margin even as the game was still 0-0 on 25 minutes.

Another UEFA Cup qualifier between Serbian side FK Bezanija and KSB Besa Kavaje of Albania was so loaded with suspicion that it caused Asian betting markets to collapse.

The fact that such huge sums were won on such small fixtures indicates a very large scale problem and one that could see massive repercussions in Europe.