By Andrew Warshaw
November 29 – The match-fixing scandal in Austria is escalating with the news that 20 current or former players are now being treated as suspects amid reports that at least 17 first and second division matches could have been manipulated over the last seven years.
The fresh revelations came one day after the arrest of defender Dominique Taboga (right), who was released by first division SV Groedig two weeks ago.
Six people are currently in custody in connection with the case, including former Austria international forward Sanel Kuljic and two Albanian citizens, investigators and state prosecutors told a news conference.
They said that the 17 matches under suspicion included nine in the Bundesliga, the top flight of Austrian football, of which three were played this season involving Groedig, promoted into the top division for the first time . These were Groedig’s 3-0 defeat by local rivals Salzburg in October, their 1-1 draw at home to Wolfsberger earlier this month and their 2-2 draw against Rapid Vienna.
Nine of the 17 matches involved former Bundesliga club Kapfenberger, relegated at the end of the 2011-12 season.
Federal criminal investigator Andreas Holzer disclosed that a list of 30 suspect players had been found during a number of house searches. “Twenty of them have already been questioned and are being treated as suspects,” he said. “As you can imagine, the investigations are very complicated, it’s an international investigation which is difficult to carry out.”
The betting fraud likely involved “millions of euros,” Holzer said. “It’s hard to calculate the exact amount. It has been substantial. The betting was rather on half-time scores or penalties than on final results.”
Taboga was arrested on Wednesday in the town of Kaernten. The 31-year-old left Groedig by mutual consent on November 14 after the club said he had admitted trying, unsuccessfully, to persuade four team mates to manipulate matches. He had argued that he was threatened that if he did not comply with blackmailers’ demands, his career would meet “an abrupt end”.
Kuljic was arrested along with two others over allegations that they were the blackmailers. Prosecutors said that police caught them collecting money from Taboga at a shopping centre car park near Salzburg.
Kuljic retired last year, having won 20 caps for Austria between 2005 and 2007. He was joint topscorer in the Austrian Bundesliga in 2005-06 for SV Ried with 15 goals.
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