More European games linked to betting scandal

Another Champions League qualification match and six games from this season’s Europa League have been linked to the European betting scandal, UEFA announced on Wednesday.

When news of the affair first broke Friday, three Champions League matches were said to be among the 200 games spread across nine countries under investigation by German prosecutors.

Now European football’s governing body UEFA has revealed the seven additional games involving five clubs which are now being investigated.

The five clubs involved are KF Tirana (Albania), FC Dinaburg (Latvia), KS Vllaznia (Albania), NK IB Ljubljana (Slovenia) and Budapest Honved FC (Hungary).

Tirana’s Champions League second qualifying round match with Norwegian side Stabaek on July 21 this year is under suspicion after the sides drew the first-leg 1-1 in Albania before Stabaek won the return game 4-0.

“From the original list of around 40 fixtures in Europe that were considered suspicious in terms of results, we are investigating seven European club competition fixtures,” said UEFA General Secretary Gianni Infantino.

The Europa League games under suspicion are – both legs of the second qualifying round ties between Bnei Yehuda Tel-Aviv FC and FC Dinaburg as well as KS Vllaznia against SK Rapid Vienna.

The third round qualifying matches between NK IB Ljubljana and FC Metalurh Donetsk as well as Fenerbahce SK and Budapest Honved FC are also being probed.

Infantino said none of UEFA’s administration staff are under suspicion or investigation and any individuals or clubs found to be corrupt will face criminal prosecution.

“UEFA wishes to stress that it has been co-operating fully with the German police and authorities on the case,” he added.

“Following a request from the German police for information on a number of matches, UEFA was able to assist.

“That was 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.

“We have full trust in our national associations to deal with the cases related to their national competitions and will continue to provide them with our full co-operation and assistance.”

The scandal involves teams from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, Hungary, Slovenia, Switzerland and Turkey.