UEFA bans Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat for 10 years over match-fixing
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Draw For Quarter Final, Semi Final and Final - UEFA Headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland - March 15, 2024 General view of the UEFA logo after the draw REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/File photo
Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat have been handed a 10-year ban from UEFA club competitions after an investigation into allegations of match-fixing during their Conference League qualifying tie with Alashkert FC in July 2023, the European governing body said on Wednesday.
The decision was taken by UEFA's disciplinary body CEDB following a lengthy investigation into the qualifiers, where Arsenal Tivat drew 1-1 on the road before losing to the Armenian side 6-1 at home.
Reuters has reached out to Arsenal Tivat for comment.
Global governing body FIFA will be requested to extend the ban, which runs till the end of the 2034-35 season, to competitions worldwide, UEFA said in a statement.
Arsenal Tivat player Nikola Celebic and official Ranko Krgovic were also given lifetime bans by CEDB, while two other players were given 10-year suspensions. The Montenegrin First League club was also handed a fine of 500,000 euros ($578,400). REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
26 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Danish qualifier Olesen, world number 354, sets pace at Portrush
Golf - The 153rd Open Championship - Royal Portrush Golf Club, Portrush, Northern Ireland, Britain - July 17, 2025 Ireland's Padraig Harrington hits his tee shot on the 1st hole during the first round REUTERS/Paul Childs PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - World number 354 Jacob Skov Olesen of Denmark shot a serene four-under-par 67 to take the early British Open first-round lead in tough conditions at Royal Portrush on Thursday. The 26-year-old left-handed qualifier eagled the 12th hole and picked up four birdies before a bogey at the last left him joint top of the leaderboard alongside China's Li Haotong and England's Matthew Fitzpatrick. After early sunshine on the Dunluce Links, heavy rain made life difficult for the players but England's Matthew Jordan returned a three-under-par 68. Dane Nicolai Hojgaard, who went out in the first group of the day, compiled a solid 69 to finish at two under. "I had to grind pretty hard to shoot a score today," he said. "I felt like I squeezed the most out of it, and sometimes those days are really nice to have." Former U.S. collegiate player Olesen, who turned professional last year having made his Open debut at Troon as an amateur, sank a 40-foot birdie on the tough opening hole and reached the turn in 35. He rolled in his eagle at the 12th before a chip-in at the 15th gave him the outright lead. Veteran American Phil Mickelson, the 2013 Open champion, rolled back the years with a one-under 70, including a spectacular par-save when he holed out from a greenside bunker at the par-three third. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Premium China carmaker Hongqi, known for Xi Jinping's limos, to launch in Singapore in 2026 "That bunker shot that buried in the lip, and then to make it, it was obviously a lot of luck. It was crazy. I was just trying to save bogey, and I got lucky," the 55-year-old said. Former world number one Lee Westwood, 52, also began well with a two-under 69 while Spain's Sergio Garcia was three under after seven holes as the old guard shone. Defending champion Xander Schauffele began in steady fashion with two birdies and two bogeys in his first 14 holes while playing partners Jon Rahm and U.S. Open champion JJ Spaun were at one under towards the end of their rounds. World number one Scottie Scheffler was one under and 2019 Portrush champion Shane Lowry was level par after 14 holes. Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy is among the late starters as he bids for a second Claret Jug in the company of England's Tommy Fleetwood and American Justin Thomas. Ireland's Padraig Harrington, twice Open champion, had struck the first tee shot of the tournament in cloudy conditions. Brighter weather and light winds were forecast for the later afternoon. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Trump faces backlash as 69% believe Epstein details concealed, poll finds
Find out what's new on ST website and app. WASHINGTON - Most Americans think President Donald Trump's administration is hiding information about accused sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and give it poor marks on the issue after pledging to make public documents in the case , a Reuters/Ipsos poll found. The two-day poll, which closed on July 16, showed 69 per cent of respondents thought the federal government was hiding details about Epstein's clients, compared to 6 per cent who disagreed and about one in four who said they were not sure. Epstein, a wealthy financier and convicted sex offender, was facing federal charges of sex-trafficking minors when he died by suicide in jail in 2019. He had pleaded not guilty, and the case was dismissed after his death. The case has captivated swaths of Mr Trump's political base who were expecting lurid details after some of Mr Trump's top law enforcement officials said they would be releasing documents that would lead to major revelations about Epstein and his alleged clientele. The Trump administration last week reversed course on its pledge, enraging some of the President's followers. Close to two-thirds of Republicans think the administration is hiding details on Epstein's business, the Reuters/Ipsos poll found. Just 17 per cent of Americans approve of Mr Trump's handling of the case, a weaker rating than the President received on any other issue in the poll. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Driverless bus in Sentosa gets green light to run without safety officer in first for S'pore Singapore Fatal abuse of Myanmar maid in Bishan: Traffic Police officer sentenced to 10 years' jail Singapore Man charged over manufacturing DIY Kpods at Yishun home; first such case in Singapore World US strikes destroyed only one of three Iranian nuclear sites, says new report Business 5 things to know about Kuok Hui Kwong, tycoon Robert Kuok's daughter and Shangri-La Asia head honcho Singapore Two women jailed for submitting fake university certificates to MOM for employment passes Singapore Sex first, then you can sell my flat: Women property agents fend off indecent proposals and harassment Singapore Premium China carmaker Hongqi, known for Xi Jinping's limos, to launch in Singapore in 2026 Among Republicans, 35 per cent approved, compared to 29 per cent who disapproved and the rest who said they were not sure or did not answer the question. Reuters reported on July 16 that Mr Trump and White House officials were weighing a range of options including unsealing new documents, appointing a special prosecutor and drafting executive actions on issues such as pedophilia. Mr Trump, however, has been defiant, describing supporters hung up on the issue as 'weaklings ' who were helping Democrats. 'I don't want their support anymore!' Mr Trump said in a social media post. The beliefs following Epstein's death were part of a range of conspiracies that have taken hold in US politics, including QAnon, a far-right fringe belief that a cabal of cannibalistic child molesters inside the US government have conspired against Mr Trump. Behind the scenes, Mr Trump and senior aides have also reached out to key Maga-aligned influencers, urging them to dial down their criticism of the administration's handling of the Epstein investigation and shift focus to broader priorities for the America First movement. The backlash over the Epstein case has laid bare tensions inside Mr Trump's coalition and is testing one of Mr Trump's most enduring political strengths: His ability to command loyalty and control the narrative across the right. The outcry comes amid discontent among parts of Mr Trump's base over the US strikes on Iran, continued involvement in Ukraine and any hint of backsliding on the administration's hardline immigration promises. Mr Trump knew Epstein socially in the 1990s and early 2000s. During the 2021 trial of Epstein's associate Ghislaine Maxwell, the financier's longtime pilot, Mr Lawrence Visoski, testified that Mr Trump flew on Epstein's private plane multiple times. Mr Trump has denied ever being on the plane and has not been accused of any wrongdoing. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted online, surveyed 1,027 US adults across the country and had a margin of error of about 3 percentage points. REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Barcelona agree sponsorship deal with DR Congo tourism ministry
Find out what's new on ST website and app. KINSHASA - Democratic Republic of Congo has agreed to pay more than 40 million euros ($46.37 million) in a sponsorship deal with Spanish soccer club Barcelona that would see a logo promoting tourism appear on some team apparel, according to a contract seen on Thursday by Reuters. The contract with Barcelona is dated June 29 and stipulates that a logo branding the war-hit Central African country as the "heart of Africa" will appear on the backs of training and warm-up jerseys for the men's and women's teams. The logo will also appear in advertising for the club and in the club magazine and annual report, the contract says. Congo will pay the club between 10 million and 11.5 million euros annually over the next four seasons, it says. Details of the deal between Congo and Barcelona have not been announced. AS Monaco and AC Milan last month also announced sponsorship deals with Congo without disclosing the amounts. Congolese sports minister Didier Budimbu told Reuters the contract with AS Monaco is worth 1.6 million euros per season. He did not disclose the amounts for the contracts with AC Milan and Barcelona. A Congolese government source said the contract with AC Milan was worth 14 million euros per season. Congo's tourism ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Thursday, while Barcelona told Reuters they had no comment at this time. In February Congo's foreign minister Therese Kayikwamba Wagner urged football clubs Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Paris St Germain to end their "blood-stained" sponsorship agreements with "Visit Rwanda". The appeal came less than a week after M23 rebels seized eastern Congo's biggest city, Goma as part of a lightning advance. Rwanda denies backing M23, saying it is defending itself. A report by a group of United Nations experts obtained by Reuters this month said Kigali exercised command and control over the rebels during their advance, gaining political influence and access to mineral-rich territory. REUTERS
