Handballers detained in French match fixing investigation

An investigation into suspected match fixing led to French police detaining several members of the Montpellier handball club this weekend. The detention comes after French media last week reported that eight players form the Montpellier handball club were suspected to be involved in bets resulting in winnings of more than €200.000.

The Montpellier players have been accused of match fixing after reports that they had intentionally lost a match which relatives and friend had been betting on. The match in question was played on May 12 this year after Montpellier haad already secured the league title.

According to president of the Montpellier handball club Remy Levy, the club management has not been involved in the case, AP writes and cites Joel Delplanque, president of the French Handball Federation wishing a quick and serious investigation “so that once and for all we will find out what happened – and who in fact was responsible for these anomalies we’ve now learned about.”

Among the players taken into custody after this weekend’s match was high profile handballer Nikola Karabatic, a two-time Olympic champion with the French national team, giving the case big media attention.

SOURCE: AP
http://www.france24.com/en/20120930-france-paris-police-detain-montpellier-handball-players-match-fixing-scandal