The Czech Football Association (FACR) is showing no mercy and is relegating the current Cup champion, MFK Karvina, to the second division. The reason: match-fixing.
Just under a month ago, MFK Karvina from the Moravian-Silesian city of Karvina celebrated the greatest success in the club’s history: winning the cup with a 3-1 victory over FK Jablonec.
By that point, however, a dark cloud had long since loomed over the Czech first-division club, which had made its debut in the top flight in 2015/16.
For three years, local police had been investigating match-fixing and betting fraud, initiating 47 disciplinary proceedings, and ultimately filing charges against 32 individuals in the wake of the largest raid related to match-fixing in the history of the entire Czech Republic. The outcome this Monday was brutal.
Penalty for the mayor as well
The Czech Football Association (FACR) took a hard line and is sending Karvina down to the second division. The club must also pay a fine of 414,000 euros—in addition, Jan Wolf, the mayor of Karviná, was slapped with a 125,000-euro fine plus a twelve-year ban. He is suspected of influencing referees. Five Karviná players were also handed suspensions and fines of up to 6,000 euros.
The club is likely to retain its cup title despite the draconian punishment. It remains unclear, however, whether the team from the easternmost corner of the country will be allowed to participate in the Europa League after reaching the final qualifying round through sporting merit. This decision rests solely with UEFA, which will certainly review the case and render a decision.
The disciplinary violation addressed by the association was committed in connection with relegation matches; the ruling specifically concerned three matches in the top division in 2024.
MFK Karvina can still appeal the ruling and challenge the decision.
