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UEFA: No Euro 2008 Qualifiers Were Fixed
As UEFA undertake a match-fixing
investigation, the European governing body has moved quickly to deny that
any Euro 2008 qualifiers are involved...
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(goal.com)
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UEFA's recent match-fixing investigation does not involve
any Euro 2008 qualifiers.
Europol and the European football governing body have teamed up to investigate
15 matches played so far this season that may have been subject to match
fixing, with a further 11 dating back to July 2005 also thought to be
under investigation.
But no Euro 2008 qualifying games were involved, according to this UEFA
statement:
"UEFA introduced, over one year ago, an early warning
system in order to monitor irregular betting activities, and agreed to
work together with the appropriate police authorities.
"In this respect we were informed of some unusual betting patterns
in the preliminary rounds of UEFA club competitions.
"In one case, a second round UEFA Intertoto Cup match, the disciplinary
inspector considered the circumstances serious enough to bring the case
before the UEFA Control and Disciplinary Body.
"At its meeting on Thursday, November 29 it requested further
investigations be carried out before taking a final decision.
"For the avoidance of doubt, there are no investigations under
way into any of the qualifying matches for Euro 2008.
"As a responsible governing body UEFA is continuously monitoring
football betting patterns and will take disciplinary action in any cases
where that may be justified.
"While any investigation is ongoing it is not appropriate for
UEFA to issue further comment."
The matches in question are thought to mostly have taken place in the
Intertoto and UEFA Cups, and mainly involved teams from south and eastern
Europe, and the Baltic states.
UEFA have been on the trail of these allegedly fixed encounters since
early November, when a delegation of officials traveled to meet Europol
with a 96-page dossier in hand.
Asian betting syndicates are said to have been responsible for the rigging
of these encounters, with UEFA having prepared documentation on their
methodology.
But the police investigation is still ongoing, meaning that there may
be plenty more drama to come.
Former Football Association official Graham Bean noted, ""These
are clearly exceptionally serious allegations, but having said that they
will be extremely difficult to investigate.
"Clearly for UEFA to pass this report across [to the police] they
must have evidence of some kind, perhaps as a result of betting patterns,
or individuals telling them what they know."
Steve Michaels, Goal.com,
12/4/2007
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