LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — A Ukrainian referee has lost his appeal of a life ban from soccer for his part in fix games.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Tuesday dismissed Oleh Orekhov’s appeal. He was expelled by European soccer’s governing body last March.
UEFA found he breached “principles of loyalty and integrity,” but did not say which games were fixed. Orekhov, however, was named in a German criminal court as influencing the outcome of a Europa League game between FC Basel and CSKA Sofia in November 2009 for a crime syndicate’s betting coup.
Orekhov joined FIFA’s list of international referees in 2003. He officiated in two 2010 World Cup qualifying games, including eventual champion Spain’s 3-0 victory over Estonia.
