The vice president of Spain’s soccer leagues has once again claimed that game-fixing exists in the country—even in La Primera Liga, Spain’s first division, where the likes of RealMadrid and FC Barcelona play. Speaking to Spanish radio network Cadena Cope, Javier Tebas, VP of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional (LFP), said: “Yes [match-fixing] exists,we cannot deny the fact, which is very serious. It is a minority, but it is very serious.”
Tebas, who confirmed that he would run in the LFP’s upcoming Presidential elections,indicated that match-fixing in Spain was related to corruption, rather than gambling, as it is elsewhere. “Match-fixing in Spain is not related to betting, but the tables at the end of theseason, when maybe only two or three games are important.”
He added: “A player, a Coach … they have told me, but they do not want to go to court. To me a player from LaPrimera [Liga] told me and there’s no denying that it exists. An important source told me that a colleague told him that he knew games have been fixed. Those that we catch fixing a game will goto jail.”
Separately, Italian authorities on Thursday detained a suspectin Milan’s airport linked to a global match-fixing ring based in Singapore led by Tan Seet Eng. Italian police have issued a warrant for Tan’s arrest.