May 7 – North Macedonian football has been hit by clear and obvious match-fixing scandal after a game in the Second Macedonian Division between FK Kozuf and FK Bashkimi, ended with a 2:1 victory for the visitors.
Bashkimi’s second goal, scored deep into added time, shocked the local football community, after the home team players remained static allowing their opponents to score unchallenged.
Bashkimi needed to win the match to keep their hopes of qualifying for the North Macedonian First Division alive.
Two rounds before the end of the Second Division competition, Bashkimi were in third place with 60 points, three points behind leader Macedonia Gorche Petrov, and one less than the second Arsimi. The top two teams in the final standings win direct promotion to the First Division, while the third plays a playoff.
Immediately after the match, the Football Federation of North Macedonia issued an official statement threatening both teams with sanctions.
The Minister of Sports of North Macedonia, Borko Ristovski, also issued a statement saying that if the guilt of both teams is proven, the country’s sports ministry will revoke their licenses.
“The Football Federation of Macedonia (FFM) followed the match between FK Kozuf and FK Bashkimi from the Second MFL with deep disappointment and resentment. The scenes we all saw on the field and the behavior of individuals are a direct insult to football, to fair play, and to all who participate in the sport with honest intentions. What we saw is shameful and unacceptable,” said the FFM statement.
“This FFM leadership will not allow such phenomena to become the norm, nor to pass without consequences. We await full reports from the match officials, after which all measures within our jurisdiction will be taken. There will be no protected ones – anyone whose behavior has violated the integrity of the competition will be held accountable.
“Our goal is clear: spotless football, matches in which results are decided on the pitch, not behind the scenes. The FFM remains firmly determined to put an end to unfair practices and restore the dignity of Macedonian football. It’s time to finally clean up the garbage that has been poisoning Macedonian football for years,” the statement continued
“In cooperation with the Ministry of Interior and the competent institutions, we will take all necessary steps to ensure that such cases receive an appropriate epilogue.”
In his statement Ristovski said: “We will wait for the reports from the FFM, and if the suspicions are confirmed, the Kozuf and Bashkimi football clubs will be stripped of their sports activities through an urgent procedure.”
Contact the writer of this story, Aleksander Krassimirov, at moc.l1746641428labto1746641428ofdlr1746641428owedi1746641428sni@o1746641428fni1746641428