Five jailed in Portugal over football match-fixing

LISBON:Portuguese authorities on Friday jailed five people involved in fixing second-division football matches as part of an illegal betting ring supplied by funds from Malaysia.

Second-tier club Leixoes were also deemed guilty of “active corruption” and excluded from competition for two years, according to the ruling from the Central Criminal Court in Lisbon.

A businessman, a member of Porto’s main supporters group and a former player were handed sentences ranging from five-and-a-half years to six years and nine months for arranging to fix several matches during the 2015-16 season.

Two other intermediaries also received custodial sentences of more than five years, the threshold at which they cannot be suspended under Portuguese law.

At the end of a trial which started in February 2018, 19 other defendants were handed suspended sentences, including several footballers accused of throwing games.