CAS confirms Pobeda´s eight-year UEFA match-fix ban

International sport’s top court CAS on Thursday upheld an eight-year Europe-wide ban imposed by European football governing body UEFA on Macedonian club FC Pobeda for match-fixing.

However, the Court of Arbitration for Sport said in a statement a life ban imposed on the former player involved, Nikolce Zdraveski, had been overturned on appeal.

“The decision of the UEFA Appeals Body of 27 May 2009 is partially upheld: FK Pobeda is excluded from any UEFA competition for eight years starting from the 2009/2010 season,” the CAS said.

UEFA’s life ban on club president Aleksandar Zabrcanec was also confirmed.

The investigation centred on a Champions League qualifying tie between Pobeda and Armenian side Pyunik which took place over two legs on July 13 and 21, 2004.

Charges were brought against the club due to reports of irregular betting patterns and statements from a number of witnesses.

CAS ruled that “the evidence brought by UEFA was sufficient to establish that the matches between Pobeda and Pyunik were fixed.”

“The involvement of Mr Zabrcanec, President of the Club, in this manipulation was recognized by the CAS Panel and, as a consequence, the responsibility of FK Pobeda was also confirmed.”

However, the arbitrators were “not satisfied by the evidence brought forward by the UEFA against Mr Zdraveski,” the CAS added

“Due to this lack of evidence, the disciplinary measures that have been ordered against him by UEFA were annulled.”

Some of the witnesses who were heard by the arbitrators received protection to ensure they would not be influenced by third parties, the court said.