Match-fixing inquiry probes hit Europe

London, Nov 21 :(Indianfootball.com-IBNS): European football has been hit by a massive match-fixing scandal with approximately 200 matches under investigation.

Police in Germany, Britain, Austria and Switzerland staged simultaneous 50 raids and arrested 17 people as part of the investigation, which encompasses nine European leagues, the police officials said at a news conference in the German city of Bochum today.

Matches under investigation were played in Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Turkey, Hungary, Bosnia-Hercegovina and Austria. Further at least three of the games were in the UEFA Champions League, 12 in the UEFA Europa League and two in the UEFA U19 European Championship qualifiers.

UEFA representative Peter Limacher, who accompanied the police officals at the press conference, called it the biggest match-fixing scandal ever to hit Europe.