Athlone Town's Labuts and Sfrijan hit with 12-month bans for match-fixing

Athlone Town players Igors Labuts and Dragos Sfrijan have been banned from 'all football-related' activities for 12 months following an FAI investigation into match-fixing.

 

Latvian goalkeeper Labuts and Romanian midfielder Sfrijan were found guilty on three counts of misconduct in relation to the April 29th First Division game against Longford Town, which finished 3-1 to Longford.

 

The association launched an investigation on May 3rd following a report from UEFA's Betting Fraud Detection System which alleged 'clear and overwhelming betting evidence that the course or result of' the match was 'unduly influenced with a view to gaining corrupt betting profits.'

 

The investigation was widened two days later to include two additional First Division games, but there was deemed to be insufficient evidence to bring charges in relation to those games.

 

An Independent Disciplinary Committee met on Monday, September 4th and ruled that Labuts and Sfrijan, both 27, were guilty of breaching the following FAI rules:

 



Rule 99: Bringing the Game into Disrepute
Rule 105: Manipulating Matches
Rule 106: Betting / Gambling

 

Its determination was that the players be banned from all football-related activities for a period of 12 months.

 

Neither the players nor their representatives at the Players' Football Association of Ireland have issued a response so far.

 



FAI Statement on Athlone Town AFC Investigation:

 

The Football Association of Ireland can confirm that an Independent Disciplinary Committee has found two Athlone Town AFC players to be in breach of FAI rules.

 

On May 3, an investigation was launched following a UEFA Betting Fraud Detection System report demonstrated 'clear and overwhelming betting evidence that the course or result of' Athlone Town's game against Longford Town in the SSE Airtricity League First Division on April 29 'was unduly influenced with a view to gaining corrupt betting profits'.

 

The investigation was then widened on May 5 to take a closer look at two other games involving the club. However, the investigators found that there was insufficient evidence around those games to bring any charges, so the investigation focused solely on the game that took place on April 29.

 

Upon receipt of the UEFA BFDS report, the FAI conducted a full investigation which included conducting interviews with relevant personnel, reviewing match footage and obtaining the opinions of football experts -   a final report was prepared and charges were issued.

 

The Independent Disciplinary Committee met on Monday, September 4 and ruled that Athlone Town AFC players Igors Labuts and Dragos Sfrijan were in breach of three FAI rules:

 

- Rule 99: Bringing the Game into Disrepute

- Rule 105: Manipulating Matches

- Rule 106: Betting / Gambling  

 

Following the Committee's findings both players have been banned from all football-related activities for 12 months.

 

The FAI has a zero tolerance policy to match-fixing.

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