Sergey Ivashchenko candidly spoke about suspicions regarding players and abnormal betting after the 0:4 defeat
President of FC “Poltava” Sergey Ivashchenko commented on suspicions regarding the match-fixing nature of the 23rd round game against “Polesie” (0:4). The head of the club not only allowed for the possibility of dishonest play by his players but also sharply explained why he cannot conduct an internal investigation.
This was reported by RBC-Ukraine, citing Ivashchenko’s comments for “Ukrainian Football”.
Also read: Loud scandal in UPL: UAF made an official statement regarding the canceled goal in the match “Dynamo” – “Karpaty”
Abnormal bets and strange play
The match against Zhytomyr’s “Polesie” came under the scrutiny of football analysts due to suspicious activity in the betting markets. An abnormally large bet on “over 2.5 goals” was recorded before the game. The prediction came true by the 34th minute when Poltava conceded three times. The situation was further complicated by a penalty for handball and a quick red card for a “Poltava” player.
When asked directly if he suspects collusion among his players, Sergey Ivashchenko replied briefly: “I do suspect it.”
“And what am I supposed to do?”: the president’s reaction
Despite the seriousness of the accusations, the club president stated that his hands are tied. In an emotional comment, he explained the lack of tools to check players for involvement in manipulations.
“How do you imagine this? We don’t have an internal security service in the club. And what am I supposed to do? Should I call a player in and ask: ‘Did you throw the game, did you place bets?’ He’ll say: ‘No!’ What then? Should I pinch him in the door and interrogate him? I’m just reading all these news… It’s just a complete disappointment in everything,” Ivashchenko stated.
Sergey Ivashchenko (photo: FC “Poltava”)
Tournament slump and the club’s future
For “Poltava,” the defeat to “Polesie” marked the eighth loss in the last nine matches. The club is firmly stuck at the bottom, in 16th place in the UPL standings, with only 10 points to their name.
The team’s next chance to improve the situation will be on April 17, when they meet the capital’s “Obolon.”
Earlier, we reported that “Shakhtar” secured an important boost for Ukraine in the UEFA coefficient table.
