
Montenegrin soccer club banned by UEFA for 10 years for match-fixing; player, official banned for life
The decision concluded that the eight players and officials involved broke Article 11 (general principles of conduct) and Article 12 (integrity of matches and competitions and match-fixing) during the 2023-24 Conference League two-legged qualifying tie between Arsenal Tivat and Armenian side Alashkert FC in July 2023.
Advertisement
Arsenal Tivat player Nikola Celebic, 36, and sporting director Ranko Krgovic have received lifetime bans 'from exercising any football-related activity', while Cetko Manojlovic, Radule Zivkovic and Dusan Puletic have received ten-year bans. Only Manojlovic still plays for the Montenegrin side.
UEFA has also given bans to two officials from Serbian side FK Radnicki Obrenovac, Milan Vignjevic (ten years) and Goran Janjusevic (six years). Another person involved, Christos Psomiadis, received an eight-year ban.
The disciplinary body has also called for FIFA to extend the ban worldwide, beyond the European football governing body's remit, and has fined the Montenegrin club €500,000.
The Athletic reported in August 2023 that Alashkert's second-leg 6-1 win over Arsenal Tivat was flagged to UEFA due to suspicious betting patterns.
The first leg had finished 1-1 and Alashkert were eliminated in the following round. Neither club responded to a request for comment at the time.
Experts had warned that the European competition carried with it a high risk of match-fixing.
'There is a big mix of countries and less well-known teams,' Chris Rasmussen, Lecturer in Sports Betting Integrity at the University of New Haven, explained at the time. 'It's hard for the bookmaker to set the correct odds.'
Rasmussen said the game had clear suspicious betting patterns. Many other experts and insiders picked this up, causing the matches to be flagged to UEFA and the investigation to begin.
The Athletic has approached Arsenal Tivat for comment.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Juventus make Conceicao loan permanent
Portuguese international Francisco Conceicao, who spent last year on loan at Juventus, has completed a full transfer from Porto, the Serie A club has announced. The 22-year-old winger, who has 11 caps for Portugal and scored seven goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for Juventus last season, has signed a deal taking him up to 2030. "Juventus announce that they have reached an agreement with FC Porto for the permanent acquisition of Francisco Conceicao," Juve said in a statement released on Tuesday evening. Juventus, the only Italian club listed on the stock exchange, said it had paid "30.4 million euros ($35.6 million) payable in four annual instalments", in addition to 1.6 million euros in fees and other costs. According to the Italian press, Juventus are also close to finalising the transfer of another player from Porto, Portuguese right-back Joao Mario while defender Alberto Costa is expected to go in the other direction. Juve, now coached by Igor Tudor, have already strengthened their attacking line with the signing of Canadian international Jonathan David from French side Lille. jr/lle/bsp/nr
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Video: Brighton defender Estupinan arrives for Milan transfer
Pervis Estupiñán has landed in Milan to undergo his medical tests with the Rossoneri. Brighton defender Estupiñán is ready to complete a permanent transfer to Milan. LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 05: Pervis Estupinan of Brighton & Hove Albion looks on during the Premier League match between Fulham FC and Brighton & Hove Albion FC at Craven Cottage on December 05, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by) Expert Antonio Vitiello has shared a video of the Ecuador international arriving at Milan's Linate Airport on Wednesday afternoon. The 27-year-old will undergo medical tests with Milan before completing a €19m transfer, including add-ons. He will then fly to Asia to join the rest of the team, which is currently on a pre-season tour. 🇪🇨 Ecco #Estupiñan, il nuovo terzino sinistro del Milan🔴⚫️. Pronto per le visite e la firma sul contratto
Yahoo
37 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Sky Sports: Chelsea ‘in Talks' Over £115m Double Transfer Swoop
Chelsea Step Up Pursuit of Ajax Star Hato and Leipzig's Xavi Simons Chelsea have begun formal discussions to sign Ajax's highly-rated defender Jorrel Hato, according to a report from Sky Sports News. The Blues are looking to strengthen defensively as part of a broader summer rebuild, while also pursuing creative midfield talent in the form of RB Leipzig's Xavi Simons. As per Sky Sports' Kaveh Solhekol and Anthony Joseph, 'Chelsea are in talks to sign Jorrel Hato from Ajax. He is one of a number of centre-backs they have been looking at.' The club has been actively evaluating their options at the back following a number of high-profile injuries last season, and the 18-year-old Dutch international fits the profile of a modern, composed ball-playing defender with leadership qualities well beyond his years. Photo IMAGO Focus on Exits Before Further Signings The structure of Chelsea's summer transfer business remains tethered to player exits. 'Any further signings at Chelsea are dependent on exits,' Sky Sports report. This strategy is not new. Chelsea's sporting directors, Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley, have often prioritised Financial Fair Play compliance and squad balance before major moves. But with the likes of Trevoh Chalobah, Malang Sarr and possibly Conor Gallagher attracting interest, outgoings could materialise quickly to fund the proposed £115m double swoop. Xavi Simons also on the Radar Talks are underway for Xavi Simons, one of Europe's most versatile attacking midfielders. The Dutchman spent last season on loan at RB Leipzig and impressed with his intelligence, creativity and movement across multiple attacking roles. 'Chelsea have also held talks over the signing of Xavi Simons at RB Leipzig,' say Sky Sports. His price tag is expected to hover around £70m, but his ceiling is enormous. At just 21, Simons combines elite ball progression with a work rate that would appeal to Enzo Maresca, especially given Chelsea's upcoming return to the UEFA Champions League. Photo: IMAGO What Maresca is Building This summer feels different. With Enzo Maresca already delivering silverware in the form of the UEFA Europa Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup in his debut season, the Chelsea project looks to be heading into a mature phase. Champions League qualification has given the club a solid platform to recruit top-tier young talent again, this time with a more defined tactical blueprint under a clear football identity. Should Chelsea complete these deals, the average age of the squad would further drop, but in doing so, the Blues would add two players ready to contribute immediately and long-term. Our View – EPL Index Analysis From a Chelsea fan's perspective, this report is pure excitement. Hato is exactly the kind of signing that shows Chelsea mean business. At just 18, he's already captaining Ajax and has the kind of ball control and positioning that reminds fans of peak John Terry, but with the athleticism of someone like Wesley Fofana. Getting him early could be a masterstroke. As for Xavi Simons, he's electric. Watching him glide between lines for Leipzig last season, it's obvious why Chelsea are so keen. He's got that Eden Hazard-like unpredictability in the final third and could be the perfect foil for Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku behind Nicolas Jackson. Enzo Maresca's first season exceeded expectations. With trophies already in the cabinet and Champions League football secured, fans feel there's real momentum now. These two potential signings would not only fit the club's strategy of recruiting elite young talent, but also show that the board are backing Maresca all the way. £115m might sound steep, but in today's market, that's value for two future superstars. If Chelsea pull this off, we're not just building for the future, we're preparing to challenge right now.