Referee jailed three years for match fixing

For the third time since 2002, an Israeli referee was sentenced to jail by a Tel Aviv court for match-fixing.

Yohanan Cibutaru's three-year term makes him the third ref to be accused, found guilty and sentenced following a police investigation launched in 2002.

By 2003, 13 men faced charges, and trials still are in progress.

The verdict at Tel Aviv Magistrates Court said that Cibutaru admitted the fix was in during four matches involving second and third-division clubs between 1997 and 2000. He tried to rig results on behalf of illegal betting rings.

Cibutaru originally pleaded not guilty. After 25 court sessions, however, he pled guilty, according to the verdict.

"The accused was a senior soccer official and knew and understood fully the seriousness of his actions, but he was undeterred and in so doing showed total disregard for all legal and sporting norms," wrote judge Dan Mor in the verdict.

He also ordered Cibutaru to pay a USD 7,062 fine. If Cibutaru had maintained his not-guilty plea � and been found guilty � Mor said he would have doubled the sentence. Cibutaru is also a prosecution witness in the trials of five other men involved in the case.

Despite that, the ref's attorney said there would be an appeal due to the severity of the sentence.

Cibutaru joins Meir Amsili and Uri Biton, refs who were each jailed for a year in June 2005 after both had been found guilty of agreeing to help fix matches during the same period.

Their sentences were increased on appeal after they were originally mandated to do six months community service.

Source: euFootball.BIZ © Copyright 2006 - All rights reserved.