COURT INVESTIGATES ALLEGED MATCH FIXING IN COPA DEL REY

According to LaLiga, a Spanish court is looking into allegations of match fixing in a Copa del Rey game between Huracan Melilla and Levante in 2021.

Following an anonymous tip regarding the match, LaLiga said that it had officially complained to the National Police Center for Sports Integrity and Gambling (CENPIDA) about it. At the time, Levante, a top-flight team, defeated the fifth-tier minnows 8-0.

Six people, including a former Huracan Melilla player, have already been before the court for interrogation after a regional court in Melilla started an investigation, according to a statement from LaLiga.

According to the police, a former Huracan Melilla player was detained on Tuesday for allegedly taking part in the fixing of multiple games so that bettors may profit.

For legal reasons, neither the player nor the other individuals detained were named.

In a statement, Huracan Melilla stated that it would be willing to cooperate with the Spanish legal system and football authorities.

The club has consistently championed honest play, and it promised to take all necessary measures to combat fraud. “We want to be clear that disciplinary and legal action will be done right away if any active club member is involved.”

The Spanish Football Association (RFEF), not LaLiga, which oversees Spain’s First and Second Divisions, organizes the Copa del Rey.

Requests for comment from RFEF were not entertained.

23 people, including football players, were detained in January as part of an investigation into possible match-fixing in non-pro Spanish, Andorran, and Gibraltarian football divisions in order to increase betting revenue.

According to the police, those detained are suspected of being part of a ring that is reported to have amassed winnings of up to 500,000 euros (530,400 USD) by placing modest wagers with rewards that were too low to draw regulatory attention.

Police said the ring targeted about 30 games in non-professional leagues, but no players were named.