Handballers ‘bet against own team’

MONTPELLIER handball players are appearing in court suspected of betting against themselves then deliberately losing a game.

They are facing internal sanctions of €15,000 of fines and being suspended for six matches if they are found to have broken the sport’s rules on betting in one’s own games – but up to five years’ prison and €75,000 fines if they are shown to have deliberately thrown the match.

The affair has come as a shock to the world of French handball, as Montpellier are among the top teams of the sport, several times French champions and once European champions.

Among those who were arrested after Sunday’s PSG-Montpellier match and questioned by police were French handballing icon Nikola Karabatic, a two-times Olympic champion and world champion. There are nine players involved and nine other people close to them.

The public prosecutor says the partner of Karabatic’s brother Luka has admitted placing a bet for her partner at his request. The other suspects remained silent under questioning. Karabatic himself is suspected because his wife betted on his behalf and won, the prosecutor states.

The bets amounted to €87,880 and brought in €252,880 and were nearly all based on Montpellier losing by half-time. The bets were placed in sums of €100 cash at a time, in three different bookies’ offices.

The prosecutor said journalists and trainers noted that Montpellier “played very badly” in the match on May 11 against Cesson-Sévigné, adding that as Montpellier were at that stage sure to be French champions even if they lost, it was “an ideal match to lose”.

The unusually high amounts bet on the match sparked an investigation.

The affair is bad for the image of handball in France which has become increasingly popular in recent years, with nearly half a million players.

Photo: Screenshot from TF1