fixing scandal rocks Czech football

The Czech Football Association (FACR) has been plunged into chaos due to a match-fixing scandal, which is hogging the headlines domestically ahead of the national team's World Cup play-off against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday night.

Following an investigation involving Europol, Interpol, and UEFA's anti-match-fixing unit, dawn raids were conducted across the country, with much of the focus on Monravia in the east of the nation.

A three-year probe has explored the prevalence of match-fixing in the top four divisions of the Czech League, as well as in youth competitions.

Players, referees, club officials, and a town mayor are all currently being investigated.

FACR president David Trunda said in a message to executive committee members: "Since 6am, a massive operation – perhaps the largest in the history of Czech football – has been under way.

"Europol and Interpol are involved in the operation. Everything is being coordinated with the UEFA anti-match-fixing unit.

"The operation is concentrated primarily in Moravia, covering 99% of the area and involving several dozen individuals.

"This is the result of cooperation between the FACR and the Czech Police.

"The ethics committee will initiate proceedings today against more than 40 players, officials, referees, and clubs, including those from the top league down to the fourth division, as well as youth leagues."

Martin Holub, chairman of the the ethics commission, said: "The FACR ethics commission has initiated 47 disciplinary proceedings, primarily on suspicion of committing disciplinary offences of bribery and match-fixing.

"The suspects are member clubs, officials, referees and players.

"Most players were also provisionally banned from competitive activity. All documents were published on the FACR official board in accordance with the FACR disciplinary code.

"The FACR ethics commission will further address the situation at its meeting today, at which further action will be planned.

"The initiation of these disciplinary proceedings on the day the police action was launched was only possible thanks to the excellent internal work of integrity officer Kamil Javurek and the above-standard co-operation with the Police of the Czech Republic, to whom we hereby thank."

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