UEFA Bans FK Arsenal Tivat Due to Match-Fixing

Banning or suspending players over misdeeds is nothing new, but bans on entire clubs don’t happen every day. However, this is exactly what happened to the Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat.

The Club Was Banned for 10 Years

According to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), FK Arsenal Tivat had committed significant violations of the union’s code of conduct. The organization understood that the club was involved in the fixing of matches, which is strictly prohibited.

As a result, Arsenal Tivat will be banned from competing professionally in Europe for 10 years. This means that the club would be able to return to competing for the 2035-36 season at the earliest. In addition to that, the Montenegrin club was slammed with an EUR 500K fine (approximately $580K) for its violations.

The UEFA clarified that the penalties relate to a game between Arsenal Tivat and Alashkert that took place in July 2023. The first clash between the two clubs ended in a draw, but the rematch saw Alashkert beat Arsenal Tivat 6-1.

Several Individuals Received Bans Too

In addition to the ban on the club, several players and officials were personally banned. The UEFA has furthermore asked FIFA to extend the ban on a global scale and prevent the sanctioned individuals from competing elsewhere.

The UEFA said that three players were banned for 10 years. At the same time, athlete Nikola Celebic and sporting director Ranko Krgovic received lifetime bans from UEFA-sanctioned events.

In addition to that, the violators and the club as a whole risk further sanctions in Montenegro, although it has yet to be seen whether the local soccer regulator will proceed to impose penalties or not.

Soccer Player Banned for Betting

In other news, a former Cheltenham, Shrewsbury, and Exeter soccer star, Ryan Bowman, was just slammed with a ban that will prevent him from competing for three and a half years. The penalty was handed to the player due to his involvement in betting on soccer despite being a player himself. Some of the bets he placed were on his own teams.

Athletes are generally prohibited from wagering on their own sport due to integrity concerns. Most leagues have their own rules for dealing with violators.