Bolivia cancels top football competitions amid corruption scandal-Xinhua

Bolivia cancels top football competitions amid corruption scandal

Source: Xinhua

Editor: huaxia

2023-09-06 15:06:30

LA PAZ, Sept. 5 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia's top two professional football tournaments were canceled on Tuesday amid investigations into alleged match-fixing.

The Bolivian Football Federation (FBF) confirmed the decision after meeting with representatives of all 17 top-flight clubs and nine regional football associations.

The participants voted overwhelmingly in favor of declaring the current editions of the national league and the domestic Simon Bolivar Cup void.

"It has been decided to cancel the round robin tournament and the professional cup... serious indications have been found that both tournaments have been vitiated," FBF president Fernando Costa told a news conference.

On Monday, the FBF filed a report with La Paz prosecutors in which it alleged that players, officials and referees were involved in a sprawling corruption ring that rigged matches.

Costa said the FBF planned to stage an abridged tournament until the end of the year, in which places for international competitions such as the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana would be decided.