MOSCOW, July 10 (R-Sport) - A Russian football official has been detained on suspicion of match-fixing after allegedly demanding nearly $3,000 from undercover police officers to decide the outcome of games.
Corruption is thought to be rife in the Russian game, but rarely are perpetrators brought to justice in a country preparing to hold the 2018 World Cup.
Moscow Region police issued a statement Wednesday saying a deputy chairman of the local football federation had been taken into custody after asking undercover agents for a large sum of money in exchange for information on fixed matches.
"A decision was taken to conduct an experiment for the investigation. Police posed as the bribe-givers," the statement said.
"The deputy chairman of the organization demanded 110,000 rubles to decide the outcome of football matches, to plant the necessary players in the teams for the match and to appoint officials who can provide the necessary calls," it said.
The suspect was not named. The Moscow Region Football Federation lists two deputy chairmen on its website.
The federation is responsible for running matches in the amateur Moscow Region Championship.
