Chinese FA bans 38 players for life in corruption crackdown

  • Former internationals among those banned
  • Move relates to match-fixing and gambling

The Chinese Football Association has banned 38 players and five club officials for life after a two-year investigation into match-fixing and gambling. The investigation, part of a crackdown on corruption in the sport, found that 120 matches had been fixed, with 41 clubs involved, according to the official Xinhua news agency. The report did not say whether all the matches were in China.

The former China internationals Jin Jingdao and Gu Chao and the South Korea midfielder Son Jun-ho were among those banned for life, according to findings made public on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

Former Osasuna official says club fixed La Liga matches in 2013 and 2014

• Ángel Vizcay says Getafe and Real Betis were paid to lose games
• Former president Miguel Archanco denies any match-fixing

The Spanish first division club Osasuna fixed football matches in an attempt to avoid relegation over two seasons, a court heard on Tuesday.

A former club secretary said that the club had paid Getafe and Real Betis to lose against them in 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively and had made a further payment to Espanyol in return for a draw as he gave testimony in the case led by the investigating judge Fermín Otamendi and brought against 11 men: six former Osasuna directors, three former Betis players and two estate agents also accused of being involved.

Continue reading...

Spanish footballers arrested over La Liga match-fixing claims

Players and officials from top two divisions reportedly held over La Liga 2 game in May 2018

Police investigating an alleged match-fixing ring targeting Spain’s top three football leagues have arrested several people, including current and former players and senior club figures.

The country’s national police force said on Tuesday that its officers had carried out nine searches across Spain in connection with match-fixing, money laundering and criminal gangs.

Continue reading...