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FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) - Prosecutors confirmed Thursday that they are investigating another match-fixing scheme by gamblers in German soccer, three months before country hosts the World Cup.
Frankfurt's district attorney did not released details. The Bild daily reported four men have been jailed for fixing at least five second division and regional league matches.
"Unfortunately we have to recognize again that when a lot of money is in play, fraud can't be ruled out," German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said.
In November, a Berlin court handed six men - including two referees and a former player - jail time or suspended sentences for fixing 23 matches in 2004. Betting profits topped two million euros ($2.76 million Cdn) in Germany's worst soccer scandal in 40 years.
This time, Germany's soccer federation turned to authorities after its investigation of reports of more manipulated games this season was inconclusive.
"We will punish persons who have manipulated football games or attempt to with every means available to the soccer federation," Zwanziger said.
The Bild reported most of the betting was done outside of Germany. Common methods of fixing the outcomes of games is to have referees call unjustified penalties or eject players.
Betting agencies last year were the first to complain of huge sums being placed on lower league matches shortly before kickoff. Their warnings were dismissed at first by German soccer authorities.
Many of Europe's soccer leagues from the Netherlands to the Czech Republic have been hit by match-fixing scandals in the past year. | Source: Slam! Sports | Mar.10.2006 |
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