NYON (Switzerland) – Latvian Police have arrested eight people, including two players from 2012 Latvian champions FC Daugava Daugavpils, over alleged cases of match-fixing.
They are suspected to have fixed a Champions League qualifier, money laundering and tax evasion, a police spokesman said on Friday.
Europe’s football ruling body UEFA said in a statement on Friday that it will launch disciplinary proceedings against the club, its president and the players concerned.
According to the police, two club officials and four other people with a connection to the club were detained on Wednesday.
One of the eight individuals was kept in jail and the other seven were initially released but ordered to remain available to police, if needed.
UEFA said irregular betting patterns were reported around Daugavpils’ second round Champions League qualifier against Swedish side IF Elfsborg on July 17, 2013.
The initial investigation was conducted by UEFA, in close cooperation with the Latvian Football Federation and Latvian authorities.
Daugavpils lost the away match 7-1, before losing 4-0 in the home return leg.
Police said a number of Latvian league matches are being investigated.
UEFA said sanctions could include lifetime bans from football. (dpa/NAN)
