In a significant development, the Russian Football Union has removed football club Torpedo from participation in the Russian Premier League. The official reason provided is an «attempt to organize fixed matches.»
In addition to being excluded, FC Torpedo has been fined 5 million rubles. Referee Bogdan Golovko, who is accused of biased officiating in favor of the team, has been detained and could face up to seven years in prison. Golovko primarily officiated matches in the First League and other lower divisions.
Previously, Torpedo had secured direct promotion to the Russian Premier League by finishing second in the First League. However, a month later, a criminal case was initiated against club owner Leonid Sobolev and director Valery Skorodumov, related to allegations of attempting to bribe a referee.
According to investigators, Golovko deliberately failed to award a penalty against Torpedo during the decisive match against KAMAZ on May 24.
Igor Simonov, Managing Partner at Gagarin Law Bureau, commented on the situation, calling the case unprecedented for Russian football:
He noted that while legal action for abuse or bribery might occur in the sport`s periphery, a case directly tied to influencing a match outcome on the field is unusual. Simonov referenced Article 184 of the Russian Criminal Code (`Unlawful influence on the results of an official sports competition`). The maximum penalty of up to seven years applies if an organized group was involved; for an individual, it`s up to five years. He suggested potential motives might involve profiting from betting through bookmakers and stressed the need to prove the existence of an organized group.
The Russian Football Union`s statement did not specify the further fate of FC Torpedo. It is likely that the club will remain in the First League for at least the upcoming football season, which is set to start next week.
