Spain La Liga Scandal of Football Match-Fixing Sees First-Ever Jail Sentences

A massive scandal in Spain over match-fixing in La Liga has seen the first-ever jail sentences handed out in the country over the issue.

A COURT in Navarra sentenced nine former executives, players, and businessmen associated with the Osasuna and Real Betis clubs to prison today (April 24) after finding them guilty of colluding to fix the result of football matches.

The case focused on two matches at the end of the 2013-14 season in which Osasuna’s directors paid two Real Betis players to influence the outcomes.

The court ruled that payments were made to ex-Betis players Antonio Amaya and Xabier Torres as a bung to encourage them still further to beat Real Valladolid

in the penultimate match, but then to lose against Osasuna in the last match of the season.

The court sentenced Amaya and Torres to one year in jail, but as it was their first crime, the term is suspended.

Former Osasuna executive Ángel Vizcay got the longest punishment of eight years and eight months.

Two businessmen were also found guilty of corruption.

All of the sentences can be appealed, which means there is more to come in this long-running sporting corruption story.