SHARE
COPY LINK

CORRUPTION

Spanish police arrest 34 in tennis match-fixing probe

Spanish police have arrested 34 people, including low-ranking players, from a nefarious network that fixed tennis matches in Spain and Portugal, authorities said on Thursday.

Spanish police arrest 34 in tennis match-fixing probe
Photo: AFP

Spanish police have arrested 34 people, including low-ranking players, from a nefarious network that fixed tennis matches in Spain and Portugal, authorities said on Thursday.

All those arrested are Spanish and include six tennis players whose international rankings are between 800 and 1,400 in the world. They were not named.

Players were offered sums of between €500 ($530) and €1,000 to fix matches, a police spokesman told AFP.   

“Sometimes they promised 500 euros and in the end only paid 50 euros. The players were above all the victims,” the spokesman added.    

The probe, which began in 2013, concerns at least 17 tournaments with estimated takings of over half a million euros.    

The latest arrests — for fraud, corruption and belonging to a criminal organisation — took place in November, police said.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

CORRUPTION

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president

Police raided the offices of FC Barcelona on Monday, carrying out several arrests just six days ahead of the club's presidential elections, a Catalan regional police spokesman told AFP.

Barçagate: Police raid FC Barcelona offices and arrest former president
Barcelona's former president Josep Maria Bartomeu is among the arrested. Photo: Josep Lago/AFP

Spain's Cadena Ser radio said one of those arrested was former club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October, along with CEO Oscar Grau and the club's head of legal services.

But the police refused to confirm names, saying only “arrests are taking place” and adding that the operation was being run by officers from the financial crimes unit.

“We are in the process of carrying out an operation right now with agents of the financial crimes unit,” the police spokesman told AFP.

According to reports in the Spanish media, the operation is linked to last year's investigation into the 'BarçaGate' scandal, which saw the club deny hiring a company to criticise current and former players on social media to improve the image of the then-president Bartomeu.

Cadena Ser said Barca paid €1 million in six separate invoices to the company I3 Ventures, with whom the club have since cut ties.

Bartomeu resigned in October, after mounting pressure following months of controversy and a dramatic decline in performances on the pitch.

His successor is due to be elected on Sunday, when club members will choose between the final three candidates, Joan Laporta, Toni Freixa and Victor Font.

SHOW COMMENTS