Another possible gambling scandal may arise in Colombian soccer.
President of governing body Dimayor, Luis Bedoya, confirmed in an
interview with El Tiempo newspaper that two cases are currently under
investigation.
The most important case concerns an incident in a game of the current group phase in the Copa Mustang, Colombia’s primary soccer tournament. Although Bedoya refused to say which match is being looked into, most would suspect it to be the game between Once Caldas and Boyacá Chicó where the home side were given a highly controversial penalty to score for 2-1 just before full time.
In the interview, Bedoya mentioned that the “error affected the scoreline”, making it more likely that it indeed concerns this particular game. The referee that awarded the spot kick, was then suspended for five matches.
The second case supposedly took place in the second division (Primera B), where board members of Valledupar FC are suspected of trying to bribe a referee.
Asked whether these incidents mean the return of corruption to Colombian soccer, Bedoya reacted negatively. “No, the cases we are investigating are isolated. Referees make mistakes, that’s something else. Mistakes, I admit, that are caused by the lack of training these referees get. That is why we will work to improve training of our officials and to control the regional colleges where this training takes place.