May 19 – The Kosovo Football Federation (FFK) has launched an investigation into a match in the country’s women’s football championship. An audio recording was leaked to local media claiming that Hajvalia players tried to bribe Mitrovica players ahead of the derby between the two teams in March.
In the audio recordings distributed by Gazeta Express, a player from FC Mitrovica can be heard asking for €3,000 to fix the game.
FFK issued an official statement that they have no official contact with law enforcement authorities about irregularities surrounding the match, which ended 1:1, but will take all necessary actions.
An FKK statement said: “The Kosovo Football Federation has recently been informed by the media about the allegations of an attempt to fix a game in women’s football between the two teams of KFF Mitrovica and KFF EP Hajvalia. Despite the fact that we have never officially received any notification or complaint regarding this issue from any club, immediately after receiving this information from the media, we have started collecting all the evidence about the allegations of this case.
“The issue has already been addressed to the relevant bodies and commissions within the Federation, which are collecting the necessary information and documentation related to this case, which will be carefully examined. Also, we have addressed this case to the National Council for the Prevention and Sanctioning of Violence and Negative Events in Sports Events to proceed further,” the statement continued.
“FFK assures that the claims and doubts related to this case will be treated with the greatest seriousness by our bodies in the disciplinary aspect, while in other aspects the state bodies of the Republic of Kosovo will be dealt with.
“The Football Federation of Kosovo will continue to take necessary measures to guarantee the safety and integrity of football. FFK remains committed to promoting honest values and respecting the “fair-play” competition in football and will fight with all its mechanisms such actions that endanger the integrity of the game of football and the image of Kosovo.”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1734915415labto1734915415ofdlr1734915415owedi1734915415sni@o1734915415fni1734915415