June 7 – The Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) has fined two clubs – Botev Vratsa and Maritsa Plovdiv – following match-fixing reports from UEFA.
Botev Vratsa competes in efbet Liga, the top tier of Bulgarian football, while Maritsa plays in the second division.
For both clubs, this is the third UEFA report of “serious match-fixing doubts”.
Bulgarian Football Union (BFU) rules state a punishment must be imposed when three alerts from UEFA are accumulated by a club within one season.
Botev Vratsa’s questionable matches are the 6-0 loss to Botev Plovdiv on November 5 last year, the 5-1 loss to CSKA Sofia on May 8 this year, and the 2-0 loss to Pirin Blagoevgrad on May 30.
Botev Vratsa managed to avoid relegation from the efbet League a few rounds before the end of the championship and in the last few rounds the club had little to play for. At the same time, CSKA Sofia needed points to continue the title fight, while Pirin Blagoevgrad was fighting for its survival in the top tier of Bulgarian football.
For Maritsa Plovdiv, UEFA has sent reports on a 3-1 loss to Vitosha Bistrica, a 5-1 loss to Ludogorets II and the 2-0 loss to Minor Pernik.
While the BFU has the power to sanction the offenses, the rules state the clubs can only be fined 5,000 leva (€2,500) each.
In 2019, Vereya Stara Zagora was disqualified from the first division in Bulgaria after five consecutive match-fixing reports from UEFA.
Contact the writer of this story, Alexander Krassimirov, at moc.l1713961967labto1713961967ofdlr1713961967owedi1713961967sni@o1713961967fni1713961967