Five Armenian clubs disqualified, 45 get life bans for match-fixing

The Armenian Football Federation (FFA) suspended the nation’s second tier with rapid impact and disqualified 5 groups after receiving “undeniable evidence” of their involvement in match-fixing.

About 45 individuals, together with membership house owners, gamers and coaches, have been handed with life bans and one other 13 had been banned for various durations for being concerned in manipulation of matches, the FFA stated.

Local media reported that membership house owners with Russian passports, Russian gamers and coaches, in addition to Ukrainian, Latvian and Belarusian footballers had been amongst these banned.

Lokomotiv Yerevan, degree on factors with second division leaders FC Van, Aragats, Torpedo Yerevan and Masis had been disqualified from the championship following suspicious outcomes, together with 12-0, 0-12, 1-8, 9-2, 0-7, 0-Eight and 8-2.

FC Yerevan, who had withdrawn from the 2019–20 Premier League in February resulting from monetary and technical issues, had been additionally disqualified for match-fixing.

“The decisions were made after the FFA received undeniable evidence from international organizations and law enforcement agencies,” FFA President Armen Melikbekyan stated in a press release.

“The evidence that we received from our international colleagues will be transferred to the Armenian law enforcement agencies.”

Melikbekyan promised clear FFA management after his election victory in December.

There have been media stories of widespread match-fixing and corruption within the South Caucasus nation for years.

“Our goal is to eradicate corruption and the system of fixed games in the Armenian football,” Melikbekyan stated.

“This process, however, does not end. The Expert Group created by the FFA will continue to work to identify all possible adverse events.”