Nineteen Footballers Charged by Czech & Slovak Police Over Match-Fixing

The Czech and Slovak police forces have charged 19 footballers with match-fixing offences relating to competitions in both countries.

Those charged include current and former footballers, doctor although no names have been released.

Czech anti-corruption squad spokesman Jaroslav Ibehej said in a statement: “Twelve people have been arrested… in relation to suspected corruption in football, diagnosis possible match-fixing in different competitions and related punting activities.

“Those arrested were subsequently charged with corruption crimes (bribery and accepting a bribe).”

In Slovakia, the police chief Tibor Gaspar told reporters that seven former and current footballers had been charged for similar offences.

“Former top-flight players in particular addressed active players on teams and tried to fix the result or the number of goals scored or other options offered by betting companies,” said Gaspar.

He also said that the organiser was ‘probably from Asia’ and would place bets online with Asian betting firms, before paying money to middle-men in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

A report from Sky News Australia said that players would fix the results and earn thousands of euros after the games.

Gaspar added: “On the whole, the group spent at least €210,000 ($278,904) on the bribes, while the punter earned about 50,000 euros per game.”

Police seized €49,000 ($65,000) in cash and mobile technologies according to Gaspar.

The only names to be mentioned are the top-flight clubs in the Gambrinus Liga in the Czech Republic, FK Teplice and FK Jablonec.