By Andrew Warshaw
December 5 – One of football’s most infamous match-fixing scandals is back in the spotlight with the retrial in Bochum, Germany, of notorious kingpin Ante Sapina (pictured), accused of being part of an international match-fixing network that shocked the game’s authorities.
Two years ago, Sapina and an accomplice were jailed for five and half years after being found guilty of rigging over 20 matches including a World Cup qualifier and both Champions League and Europa League fixtures.
The case was one of the first of its kind to reveal the extent of the influence of Asia’s illegal gambling dens. Both men apparently earned more than €2.3 million each but lawyers successfully challenged the original hearing and the verdict was overturned by a higher court which referred the case back for a retrial.
Sapina had a previous conviction in 2005 for bribing Bundesliga referee Werner Hoyzer who was subsequently convicted of fraud and sentenced to 29 months in prison in a case that rocked German football.
After a brief opening, Sapina’s retrial was adjourned for two weeks for further consultation between prosecution and defence, the latter arguing that the original sentence was too harsh.
The prosecution, however, is keen to investigate claims that Sapina was a leading member of an international crime organisation which could even lead to an even greater sentence. A verdict is expected at the end of January.
The original Bochum trial brought the dangers of match-fixing to the world’s attention and spawned a series of subsequent investigations that have led to a spate of arrests of convictions.
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