Judge finds evidence of match fixing involving Osasuna and two other clubs

A judge investigating what has become known as the 'Osasuna case' revealed on Wednesday that there is evidence that the Pamplona based football club spend 900,000 euros (around one million US dollars) in match-fixing at the end of the 2013-14 season.

The judge considers that Osasuna, who were fighting to avoid relegation to the Liga Adelante (Spanish second division,) paid 250,000 euros to Espanyol for a draw, while Betis, who were already mathematically relegated by that time, received 650,000 euros for winning away to Valladolid, who were also fighting to avoid the drop, and then throwing the last game of the season, away to Osasuna.

Investigations are continuing into other games which could have been fixed by Osasuna as well as the disappearance of 2.4 million euros which disappeared from the club's accounts, presumably for match-fixing purposes.

Former Osasuna President, Miguel Archanco, who was in charge of the club when the supposed match-fixing took place, was arrested in connection with the accusations earlier this year, while several other former Directors, including Patxi Isco, another former president, were also taken into police custody.

In a statement released when the scandal broke in February this year, the Federation of Osasuna Supporters Clubs (Penas) released a statement asking for "the full weight of the law to fall on those guilty."

Despite the match-fixing Osasuna ended up being relegated and this season the club only avoided relegation to the third tier of the Spanish game on the last day of the season, although it cannot be ruled out that the club could be relegated as a punishment for Archanco's actions if they are finally found guilty of match fixing. Endi