FIFA bans Niger ref Chaibou for taking multiple bribes to fix matches
January 25 – FIFA has handed a lifetime ban to Niger referee Ibrahim Chaibou for taking bribes in the latest sanction meted out to an African official.
Match-fixing
AFC and UNODC tool up for battle against match-fixing
December 6 – With the roots of global football match-fixing embedded in parts of Asia, The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) in Kuala Lumpur.
Match fixing: $150k offered to three Belgian women’s youth players to fix game
November 29 – Three players from Belgium’s U16 women’s team were approached in a match fixing attempt during an international tournament this year, the Belgian FA (KBVB) has revealed.
Investigation uncovers mass Cypriot match-fixing scam led by Chinese club investor
November 20 – More than 30 close-season friendly games in Cyprus during 2016, 2017, and 2018 were allegedly fixed, according to local reports citing a probe by a Romanian member of the European Investigative Collaborations (EIC), a widespread media network.
Belgian match-fixing scandal sees 20 charged on criminal offences
By Samindra Kunti
October 16 – Local authorities have charged 20 suspects in the corruption scandal that has engulfed Belgian football. Agents Mogi Bayat and Dejan Veljkovic, FIFA referees Bart Vertenten and Sébastien Delferière, and Brugge coach Ivan Leko are among they key suspects. Charges range from money laundering and criminal organisation to bribery.
French police probe Red Star 6-1 loss to PSG for alleged match-fixing
By Andrew Warshaw
October 15 – French authorities have confirmed they are investigating potentially one of the most damaging and high-profile allegations of match-fixing to hit the European game.
Belgian police keep nine in custody as second division suspended and investigation deepens
By Samindra Kunti
October 12 – Nine people remain in police custody in the Belgian corruption and match-fixing investigation following raids across the country on Wednesday. The charges range from criminal organisation to money laundering. Meanwhile all second division matches have been postponed this weekend.
Belgium football in chaos as police swoop on 44 locations in matchfixing probe
By Samindra Kunti
October 11 – Belgian football has been rocked by a wide-ranging investigation into financial fraud and match-fixing. The federal prosecutor’s office said that 44 searches of premises in Belgium and 13 abroad had been staged by 220 officers in Belgium, France, Luxembourg, Cyprus, Montenegro, Serbia and Macedonia. Club Brugge coach Ivan Leko (pictured) spent the night in jail and top agent Mogi Bayat was also arrested.
Crime and punishment: FIFPro says Samir Arab’s matchfixing ban is unfair and wrong
August 23 – The international players’ union FIFPro has taken UEFA to task over a two-year ban imposed for matchfixing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Maltese under-21 international Samir Arab.
CAS rejects Samir Arab’s appeal against 2-year UEFA match-fixing ban
August 20 – UEFA has welcomed the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision to reject an appeal filed by the Maltese player Samir Arab against a two year-suspension issued by the UEFA Appeals Body in April for matchfixing.
Match-fixing: Parma win points appeal to start Serie A on level terms, but fine stays
August 10 – Newly promoted Parma will start the new season on a level footing with the rest of Serie A after a five-point penalty for its role in alleged match-fixing was overturned though a fine of €20,000 was retained.
Match-fixing: FIFA rejects El Salvador’s Maradiaga appeal against 2-year ban
August 10 – FIFA has rejected an appeal lodged by former El Salvador head coach Ramon Maradiaga against the two-year ban handed down for allegedly failing to report a match-fixing attempt.
CAF continues its crack down on Ghana’s match-fixing refs with 7 more bans
August 8 – In yet another crackdown on corruption, seven referees and linesmen from Ghana have been handed lengthy bans by the Confederation of African Football after being caught up in a bribery sting.
Parma to appeal 5 point sanction after striker found guilty of matchfixing attempt
July 24 – Italy’s Parma, promoted back into Serie A at the end of last season, will keep their place in the top tier but will start the season five points behind their rivals after striker Emanuele Calaiò was ruled guilty of attempting to fix Parma’s final match of the season against Spezia.
Match-fixing: 397 matches show suspicious betting patterns in 2017
By Paul Nicholson
July 10 – A total of 397 matches in 2017 showed suspicious betting trends – 32 of those matches were friendlies, including international friendlies. Perhaps even more worryingly is that 62 youth matches showed signs of being fixed, according to a new football betting monitoring report.