December 14 – UEFA is preparing to impose another Champions League ban on Albanian club Skenderbeu because of an ongoing match-fixing investigation.
A one-season exclusion imposed on the six-time defending Albania champion this year was a “preliminary ban,” according to the head of UEFA’s disciplinary and integrity unit, Emilio Garcia, reported by The Associated Press.
“The UEFA disciplinary bodies are considering real disciplinary measures,” Garcia said at a panel session on match-fixing at the International Sports Convention.
Garcia said the initial was based on suspected fixing of two Champions League qualifiers and two Europa League group-stage games in 2015. UEFA also suspects Skenderbeu of being involved in fixing around 50 domestic matches since 2011.
UEFA’s ban on Skenderbeu for the 2016-17 season was upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in July based on evidence of irregular betting patterns.
“It is the first time we were brave enough to put together a series of (betting) reports before the CAS,” the UEFA lawyer said.
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