The Cyprus football association (KOP) has fined AEZ Zakakiou and Karmiotissa FC €50,000 each it was notified by UEFA that suspicious betting activity had taken place on matches they had played. At a board meeting in November last year, the KOP passed new regulations that allowed it to sanction clubs for match-fixing on receipt of information from UEFA. European football’s governing body sent the KOP information on 75 matches it suspects to have been fixed earlier in November.

The KOP said it had received a letter from UEFA on 24 January outlining that it considers a 22 January match in which Apoel FC beat AEZ Zakakiou 7-0 to be a fixed match. Apparently, a significant number of bets were placed on Apoel FC to be leading by more than five goals at half-time, which finished 6-0 to Apoel FC.

‘I have no doubt that the material which has been put before me demonstrated (by the relevant regulation) that the association of AEZ Zakaki has committed the offence of manipulation of a particular result, confirming suspicious betting activity of the said match of the Championship, which was held on 22.01.2017’, read the ruling. ‘According to the findings of UEFA, its competent service clearly shows that bettors specific targeted markets involving only the first half of said match. Specifically, this match was manipulated by the AEZ team to gain financial benefit, losing intentionally in the first half of the said football match with five goals difference. I fully accept the conclusion of the committee of UEFA that this particular gambling activity was the result of manipulation by the AEZ team to gain economic benefit from the betting markets and also reject the position that the club raises to the said letter, stating that it is innocent.’

The KOP said that a second letter, sent by UEFA on 20 January, only expressed the ‘opinion’ that Karmiotissa FC was involved in manipulating an 18 January cup match, in which AEK Larnaca FC beat Karmiotissa FC 6-1. ‘According to the findings of the relevant department of UEFA, the betting market showed that some of the bettors had prior knowledge that the rival club AEK Larnaca would win the stated match with a five goal difference, which could deliver significantly betting profits,’ read the ruling. ‘I fully accept the conclusion of the committee of UEFA that the unusual is betting activity was the result of manipulation by the Karmiotissa team to gain economic benefit from the betting markets, and also reject the position that the club raises to the said letter, stating that it is innocent’.