The GFF referees and Referee Supervisors’ Committee knew nothing about today’s detention of 8 referees.

Levan Mikeladze, chairman of the Referee Supervisors’ committee, made this statement for “World Sport”.

“The officers of the Ministry of Internal Affairs came in the afternoon. They demanded the list of the matches conducted by the mentioned referees. These are the matches held in Supreme and First Leagues. We gave them the list. We did not have information about their detention. We heard about it from news program” – stated Mikeladze.

Today the officers of the MIA Anti-corruption Agency detained 8 Georgian referees on the fact of commercial bribery. These referees are: Otar Khetsadze, Irakli Urushadze, Mamuka Urushadze, Teimuraz Khuchua (all national category), Aleksandre Guntadze, Zviad Askarogli (first category), Onise Molodinashvili (national category assistant) and Tornike Gvantseladze (FIFA referee).

According to the official site of the MIA, the investigation established that the detained referees made agreements with citizens on the number of red and yellow cards in return for 2500 to 5000 USD.

The investigation is in progress on the fact of commercial bribery committed by the group (Criminal Code: article 221, IV part, sub-paragraph A).  According to the investigation, other referees also acted this way and the investigation is under way. The investigation is conducted by the MIA Anti-corruption Agency.

Lasha Tabagari