Rumors Of Match Fixing Rock Spain
- Spanish football has always taken pride in avoiding the kind of match-fixing scandals that have so afflicted Italy and other countries. No major players have ever been banned, let alone jailed, and no clubs have ever been relegated for fixing results
There have occasionally been rumours and whispers of attempted bribery, but nothing has ever reached the public domain.
Until now.
Last week, La Liga was shaken up by two separate allegations of match-fixing, and this week was no different, with yet another incident being reported.
It all started last Monday, when former Tenerife player, Jesuli, told Madrid’s El Mundo that he and his second division team-mates had each received €6,000 ($7,606) for losing the last game of the 2007/08 season against Malaga, who needed to win in order to gain promotion.
"I can't be sure that they took the money, but if it reached me, then I suppose that it also reached them."
Tenerife duly lost 2-1 and Malaga were promoted ahead of Real Sociedad, who have remained in Liga Adelante since.
A second possible episode of match-fixing came to light on Wednesday.
Spanish TV channel, Popular TV, aired a recording of an alleged conversation between Levante captain Inaki Descarga, and then club president Julio Romero, the day after Levante had lost 2-0 away to Athletic Bilbao on the last day of the 2006/07 season, a result which allowed Bilbao to avoid the first ever relegation in their proud history.
The audio recording allegedly has Descarga saying to Romero: "Now they all want their bonus. It is in the safe deposit. If you see the game, you would not say that it was fixed."
Romero allegedly replies by saying: "Whatever is said, we have to say that we went to win the game."
" If you see the game, you would not say that it was fixed."
Levante’s Inaki Descarga to club president Julio Romero.
The former Levante president then adds that: "We have made sure that, in the federation, Villar knows as well." Romero then hints that Levante might receive some favours from Villar, for having helped his former club.
In an incident similar to that of Monday’s, Liga Segunda B side Écija Balompié, are accused of throwing their game against SD Huesca, ensuring Huesca’s promotion to Liga Adelante.
Spain’s El Periódico recently caught wind of a possible match-fix, in which Huesca coach Antonio Calderon supposedly offered somewhere in the region of €17,500.
Balompié’s José Luque alleges " I was offered €2,000, and I’m sure the same was offered to my team-mates. The entire match was planned. "
Huesca won the match, beating Balompié 3-1 on the final match day.
All clubs involved were not available for comment. Huesca have since stated that they will be holding a press conference later this week.