By Andrew Warshaw
September 28 – The international players’ union FIFPro has criticised a Bulgarian club for requesting its players and coaches to take lie detector tests following a surprise defeat.
Lokomotiv Plovdiv implemented the unusual strategy after being beaten by struggling Botev Vratsa because of concerns over match-fixing, which reports say is rife in Bulgaria.
“FIFPro totally disagrees with the decision of the Bulgarian club Lokomotiv Plovdiv to order their players and coaches to take lie detector tests,” said the Dutch-based union in a statement.
Lokomotiv’s owner Veselin Mareshki earlier said he had to be sure there were no suspect factors behind the result.
“Nobody is insured against defeats but this loss is very strange,” Mareshki said.
“The fair play principle is the most important thing for me.”
But FIFPro lawyer Wil van Megen had serious doubts about the validity of such tests.
“Many scientists have criticised the use of the lie detector,” he said.
“They are not convinced that this tool is the most accurate to determine whether someone is telling the truth or lying.
“Experts say that people can cheat at these tests, that people can be influenced while taking these tests, that these tests can give the wrong results.
“Simply put: lie detector tests are dubious.
“Players are often the victims of match-fixing.
“Professional footballers could be involved, but match-fixing never starts with the players.
“Therefore, it takes much more than focusing on footballers to abolish match-fixing.”
The Bulgarian footballers’ association (ABF) said the Plovdiv players had not been forced to take the tests.
“The players are thinking about taking these tests, because they want to clear their names,” it said in a statement.
“But as far as we know, the players and coaches have still not decided whether they will take the test.
“Apparently the Plovdiv players are under the impression that they have to clear their names.
“But the ABF sees no reason for them to do this.”
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