Polish FA 'not aware of match-fixing in Poland'

Director of Europol, Rob Wainwright (C) speaks during a press conference in The Hague, The Netherlands, 04 February. The European police agency says a wide-ranging match fixing investigation has uncovered more than 380 suspicious matches, including Word Cup and European Championship qualifiers and two Champions League games. PAP/EPA/ROBIN VAN LONKH

"We have not heard, as yet, of any of the national squad's or Polish club matches being fixed,” says PZPN spokesman Jakub Kwiatkowski.

“Which does not mean, however, that this is not a big problem for all of us,” he added, as it had been in the past when a series of corruption scandals ripped through Polish football.

In 2005, an investigation was launched into large-scale match-fixing, by police based in Wroclaw, south west Poland, with the subsequent detention of over 200 players, coaches, match and PZPN officials.

Last November, the trial began of 34 defendants, including Ryszard F., also known as 'Fryzjer' (the barber), who is accused of setting up a 'football mafia' that was involved in match-rigging between July 2003 and June 2006.

Among those facing charges are referees, players and football officials from several clubs.

Former Polush international goalkeeper, Jan Tomaszewski says that, though “no Polish club is on the Europol list, corruption is well known in Poland. And the fact that both FIFA and UEFA matches have been fixed has been known for a long time.

“Something has to be done, especially now that Qatar has been accused of simply buying the rights to organise the World Cup," Tomaszewski added. (pg)

Audio report by Danusia Isler