Dozens of people were arrested today in the Czech Republic as part of an operation targeting match-fixing and fraudulent betting, affecting levels ranging from the top division to youth football.
The operation, described by the president of the Czech Football Federation, David Trunda, as “probably the largest in the country’s football history,” follows a three-year investigation conducted in collaboration with the police, Europol, and Interpol.
According to the Olomouc Public Prosecutor’s Office, searches were carried out in multiple homes and properties, targeting a corruption network involving over 40 individuals, including players, referees, and club officials “from the first to fourth divisions, as well as youth leagues.”
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The federation’s Ethics Committee is expected to start disciplinary proceedings today, with most incidents occurring in the Moravia region in the east of the country.
The operation was supported by the National Centre for Combating Organised Crime (NCOZ) along with regional police officers, although the identities of the arrested suspects have not yet been disclosed.
