SWITZERLAND: SOCCER - UEFA confirms that no Euro 2008 games are involved in suspicions of irregular betting and match-fixing

UEFA confirms that no Euro 2008 games are involved in suspicions of irregular betting and match-fixing. European soccer governing body UEFA confirmed on Sunday (December 2) that no Euro 2008 qualifying games were among those being investigated because of betting irrgularities. A senior UEFA source said on Saturday that 15 matches are under investigation dating back to July 2005, including Champions League and UEFA Cup qualifiers and UEFA Cup and Intertoto Cup ties. News of the match-fixing investigation came while UEFA officials and coaches gathered in Lucerne ahead of Sunday's draw for Euro 2008, to be played in Switzerland and Austria. UEFA head of communications William Gaillard told Reuters Television on Sunday: "Euro (2008) is absolutely not connected to certain suspicions on certain matches which aren't decisive matches, no big matches, in a few of our (other) competitions. There are suspicions all year long, we have to verify them and most of the time these suspicions are not founded, but it's our duty to always be ready to look at what's going on, thanks to our partners the bookmakers, who tell us when there have been unusual bets on certain games." Euro 2008 takes place from June 7 to 29 with matches in Geneva, Berne, Basel, Zurich, Innsbruck, Salzburg, Klagenfurt and Vienna.

ITN Source | December 3, 2007

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