Just few days ago, UEFA’s investigators hinted about more than 500 matches which were assumingly fixed, but they did not name any of the players or matches that time. Now, a match is being specified by Europol as suspected to be fixed, and that was Liverpool’s Champions Leagues clash with Hungarian club Debrecen back in 2009. Reportedly, Debrecen goalie Vukasin Poleksic had been approached by bookmakers before two of their matches, but he did not inform UEFA about those offers. Later, he also faced the disciplinary actions by European governing body for not reporting an important incident to them, and consequently, he was banned for two years in 2010, but at that time, UEFA did not reveal the exact reasons for his ban. Now, it is being flashed out by the media that it was the consequence of Europol’s match fixing investigations. Even Liverpool earlier denied being aware of any such investigations about any of their matches. Their spokesman said, “We have had no contact from Europol or any other organisation over this.”
Debrecen issued a statement on its website mentioning about the wrongdoings by their goalie, it reads as, “The disciplinary committee’s position was that Vukasin Poleksic neglected his obligations when he didn’t report in time that, before two international matches of DVSC, unknown persons attempted to persuade him to influence the outcome of the matches. The two matches were the away game against Liverpool and the home encounter with Fiorentina. Neither DVSC nor the player wish to react further, all the more so as all the information has been released about this affair during the summer of 2010.”
Moreover, Professional Footballers’ Association has also warned all the players of 92 league clubs about any involvement in match fixing; perhaps it issued an advisory to all players telling them to raise their voice, in case they are being approached by any bookmaker. PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor said over this, “At the beginning of the season we had a team going out to all the clubs telling the players there should be no betting on any competition they have any association with, and that any approaches should be reported to the authorities. We have had some problems with one or two games in the recent past where players at Accrington Stanley and Bury were charged and sanctioned so although it is not commonplace in our country we are not complacent or naive. We need to be vigilant at all levels of the game.”