In the most recent scandal, South Korean footballer Choi-Sung Kuk was found guilty of match fixing in the South Korean K-League and has been banned from football for life by FIFA.
Choi also received a 10-month prison sentence—suspended for two years—for an offense of manipulating game results in two matches in 2010.
Dozens of footballers in the K-League were indicted last year following the revelation of match fixing and Choi is the latest casualty.
Italian Football
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Juventus were involved in an Italian match fixing scandal back in 2006 that saw them demoted to Serie B and stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A league titles.
Former Juventus director Luciano Moggi was sentenced to five years and four months in prison while Fiorentina owners Andrea Della Valle and Diego Della Valle received 15-month prison sentences and a €25,000 fine each.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito also suffered a 15-month sentence with a €25,000 fine while AC Milan executive Leonardo Meani was given a one-year sentence.
16 persons were found guilty in all, and it has taken Italian football a long time to recover.
Moggi’s offense was being found guilty of criminal association aimed at committing sports fraud.
Bruce Grobbelaar
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Former Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar fought hard to clear his name after he was accused of match fixing back in 1994.
The Sun newspaper had accused Grobelaar of taking bribes in the region of £40,000 to concede goals against Newcastle United.
Grobbelaar was initially acquitted, but the decision was overturned two years later after a high court ruling had declared that:
While it had been carried out that Grobbelaar had accepted
bribes, it had not been shown that he had let in goals to fix results. It was
for this reason that the original jury had found in his favor.
Lord Bingham responded that
He had in fact acted in a way in which no decent or honest footballer would
act, and in a way which could, if not exposed and stamped on, undermine the
integrity of a game which earns the loyalty and support of millions.
It would be an affront to justice if a court of law were to award
substantial damages to a man shown to have acted in such flagrant breach of his
legal and moral obligations.
Grobbelaar was ultimately found innocent.
Marseille
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French football has not been without its controversy either, as Marseille were found guilty of match fixing in the early 1990s.
Marseille won four league titles between 1989 and 1992 under the guidance of Bernard Tapie, as well as a UEFA Champions League trophy to boot.
The foundations of a great Marseille side came crumbling down in 1993 when it emerged that Tapie was involved in match fixing.
Marseille were stripped of their league title, banned from entering the Champions League and banned from entering the Intercontinental Cup.
Tapie received two years in prison while Marseille suffered financial problems and were demoted to Ligue 2.
Marseille were managed by Raymond Goethals at the time.
Standard Liege
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In 1982, Belgian side Standard Liege were fined £75,000 after their manager suggested to the players that they offer their match bonuses to their opposition on the final day of the season in order to ensure a victory and subsequent league title.
The manager? Raymond Goethals.
Goethals was banned from managing in Belgium for life along with 13 of the Standard Liege players.
Liege were allowed to keep their Belgian title and Goethals found a job at Marseille some years later, as described in the previous slide.
There is no excuse for match fixing, no matter what pressure you are under to win.