The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) issued a landmark ruling on January 18, 2011, in the case of a Ukrainian referee, O., who appealed against a lifetime ban imposed by UEFA for his involvement in a match-fixing scandal. This case marked the first instance in European football where a match official, rather than a player or coach, was implicated in such allegations. The referee, a UEFA Category 2 official, was accused of manipulating a UEFA Europa League match between FC Basel 1893 and PFC CSKA Sofia on November 5, 2009. The match ended 3-1, with a controversial penalty awarded in the first half.
The evidence against the referee stemmed from intercepted phone conversations during a German criminal investigation into match-fixing and illegal gambling. The transcripts revealed discussions among members of a criminal syndicate, including Ante Sapina, Marijo Cvrtak, and others, detailing plans to bribe the referee to influence the match outcome. The conversations included negotiations over payment methods and strategies to maximize betting profits by manipulating the number of goals scored, particularly in the second half. The referee was referred to by name in some exchanges, and there were indications he had accepted money to ensure specific outcomes.
The CAS panel, comprising Michael Beloff, Denis Oswald, and José Juan Pintó, ruled that the intercepted phone calls were admissible as evidence under Article R56 of the CAS Code, as they were exceptional and could not have been obtained earlier. The standard of proof required for match-fixing was aligned with that of doping cases, demanding a "comfortable satisfaction" of the panel given the gravity of the allegations. The repeated contacts between the referee and the criminal group, along with evidence of bribery offers, met this standard and even constituted proof beyond reasonable doubt.
The referee admitted to being approached by individuals involved in sports betting but denied accepting money or manipulating the match. He claimed he failed to report the contacts due to language barriers and fear for his family's safety. However, the panel found his explanations unconvincing, especially as witness testimonies and intercepted communications contradicted his claims. The panel concluded that the referee violated UEFA’s disciplinary regulations and referee conduct rules by failing to report the improper approaches, regardless of whether he actually manipulated the match.
The scandal severely damaged UEFA’s reputation and raised doubts about the integrity of football results. The referee’s mitigation arguments, including his clean record and lack of instigation in the match-fixing plan, were deemed insufficient. The panel upheld UEFA’s decision to impose a lifetime ban from all football-related activities, considering it a proportionate sanction given the seriousness of the offense. The ruling underscored the importance of maintaining integrity in sports and set a precedent for handling similar cases involving match officials. The case highlighted the vulnerability of referees to manipulation by organized betting syndicates and the need for strict enforcement of ethical standards to preserve trust in competitive sports. The CAS panel dismissed the referee’s appeal, confirming the original ruling by the UEFA Appeals Body.