UEFA Hands FK Arsenal Tivat 10-Year Ban Over Match-Fixing Scandal

 

The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has imposed a decade-long ban on Montenegrin football club FK Arsenal Tivat, barring the team from participating in any European competitions until the end of the 2034–35 season.

This severe sanction follows an in-depth investigation by UEFA into allegations of match-fixing involving the club during a UEFA Europa Conference League qualifier against Armenian side FC Alashkert in July 2023. The two-legged tie saw Arsenal Tivat manage a 1-1 draw away from home, before suffering a humiliating 6-1 defeat in the return leg an outcome that UEFA found suspicious and later deemed manipulated.

Alongside the competition ban, UEFA has fined the club €500,000 (approximately £433,000), and disciplinary actions have been extended to multiple individuals within the club’s ranks.

In a statement released by UEFA, the governing body confirmed that FK Arsenal Tivat had breached key provisions of its Disciplinary Regulations, specifically Article 11, which addresses “general principles of conduct,” and Article 12, which relates to the “integrity of matches and competitions and match-fixing.”

As part of the sweeping punishments:

• Nikola Celebic, a player for Arsenal Tivat, and Ranko Krgovic, a club official, have received lifetime bans from all football-related activities.

• Three additional players—Cetko Manojlovic, Dusan Puletic, and Radule Zivkovic—have each been handed 10-year bans, effectively ruling them out of professional football for the next decade.

UEFA has also written to FIFA, the world football governing body, requesting that the bans be extended globally, meaning the sanctioned individuals could be prohibited from participating in football activities across all federations worldwide.

The disciplinary measures underscore UEFA’s zero-tolerance approach to corruption in football and its ongoing efforts to preserve the integrity of the game. Match-fixing remains a significant concern in international football, often linked to illegal betting syndicates and criminal networks.

While FK Arsenal Tivat is yet to release an official response to the sanctions, the club faces a long road to redemption. The ruling sends a clear message to clubs and players across Europe: integrity violations will be met with the harshest possible consequences.