UEFA claim match-fixing inspectors looking into Albanian side Skenderbeu have been subjected to anonymous death threats.
Europe’s governing body have released an extraordinary statement in which they vow not to be deterred from their probe.
Skenderbeu were banned from Europe in the 2016-17 season after Uefa opened an investigation into suspicious betting patterns.
Upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the probe related to a Champions League defeat to Dinamo Zagreb in 2015.
The match was the first time a club from Albania had reached gone as far as the play-off round – two legs from the group stage.
Despite hosts Dinamo being down to ten men in the first leg, Skenderbeu folded and lost 4-1. They also lost the second leg 2-1 in Albania.
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Uefa now say they will seek a longer ban as their betting fraud detection system “suggests a far greater pattern of involvement by KF Skenderbeu in match-fixing.”
They have also reported the matter to police.
They said in a statement: “Uefa Disciplinary Inspectors working on this case have received anonymous death threats, presumably intended to intimidate them and stop them carrying out their work.
EPA
“These threats will not succeed and the police have also been informed.
“Uefa remains fully committed to the fight against match-fixing and all Uefa staff working on these crucial matters can count on the full support of the organisation.
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“This message was reiterated today by Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin, who stated: ‘We will never allow Uefa staff working on these matters, or any other matters, to be subject to threats or intimidation from any third parties.
“‘They have the full backing of the organisation, including 100% personal support from me.’”
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