[JoshW]

probe
Thu Feb 16, 2006 6:57 PM GMT



By Darren Ennis

ANTWERP, Belgium, Feb 16 (Reuters) - Belgian club Lierse have suspended two players and a coach after the its lawyers found evidence of wrong-doing by the trio during a match-fixing investigation.
Lierse general manager Danny Araf told Reuters on Thursday that defender Laurent Fassotte, goalkeeper Cliff Mardulier and goalkeeping coach Patrick Deman have been suspended by the club until further notice.

"Our lawyers have told us we can take this course of action as they say they have evidence of wrong-doing on the part of the three," Araf said. "They have questioned the three and also met with the public prosecutor.

The three have also had their homes searched by police as part of an investigation into alleged match-fixing, a spokesman for the country's public prosecutor said on Thursday.

"I can confirm that police raided the houses of the people in question and they were taken for questioning," the spokesman said. "They have since been released pending further investigation."

The spokesman for the prosecutor also confirmed that two Anderlecht players, Marius Mitu and Laurent Delorge were also questioned in relation to the case on Thursday. Both players were at Lierse last season.

"We have no comment to make on the matter, other than to hope it is resolved as soon as possible," Anderlecht said in a statement on their website.

Belgian police opened an investigation into alleged match-fixing in November after reports of unusually heavy betting on Belgian matches.

Lierse is one of the clubs under investigation after losing 4-0 to Germinal Beerschot on Nov. 5, the spokesman for the prosecutor said.

The Belgian FA announced last week that it was launching its own investigation after a programme aired by national broadcaster VRT on Sunday alleged match-fixing in seven first division matches this season.

The programme alleged 14 players and coaches from several teams were linked to a Shanghai-based gambling ring. All the clubs named deny any wrongdoing.
Jean-Marie Philips, chairman of the Belgian Profession League, said last week that any club found guilty of any involvement faced the prospect of expulsion from the professional game.

The first investigation into possible match-fixing came after internet betting exchange Betfair logged heavy betting patterns for La Louviere's 3-1 win over St Truiden on Oct. 29.

Bets totalling 400,000 euros ($474,000) were staked, about 20 times above average. La Louviere deny any involvement.

St Truiden, who also deny any involvement, have since had their players sign a declaration that they will not bet on any of their games or give out team information.

[acw]

Originally Posted by lakerfan

The first investigation into possible match-fixing came after internet betting exchange Betfair logged heavy betting patterns for La Louviere's 3-1 win over St Truiden on Oct. 29.

Probably just traders, scalpers, middlers, fiddlers and piddlers, but authorities are dumb enough (and so is BetFair) to not understand this and may start questioning those that backed La Louviere.

[JoshW]

Very possible acw. Good point.

[pags11]

stories like these really make you wonder...I remember looking back and realizing I had bet ASU in college hoops on games that they were fixing...