UEFA has handed an unprecedented **10-year ban** to Montenegrin club Arsenal Tivat from all European competitions due to confirmed **match-fixing in the 2023-24 Conference League qualifying round** against Armenian team Alashkert**. This historic sanction also includes a **€500,000 fine** and lifetime bans for key individuals, including player Nikola Celebic and the club’s sporting director Ranko Krgovic. Three other players received 10-year suspensions, highlighting the severity of the integrity breach**.
The scandal erupted after a suspicious turnaround in the two-legged tie: a 1-1 draw away followed by a heavy 1-6 home defeat, prompting UEFA’s investigation and disciplinary actions under Articles 11 and 12 related to conduct and match integrity**. The sanctions reflect UEFA’s zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, aiming to safeguard the sport’s competitiveness**.
This decision not only removes Arsenal Tivat from continental football until at least the 2034-35 season but also serves as a stern warning across European football about the consequences of match manipulation. UEFA has called for these bans to be extended worldwide by FIFA, potentially ending the football careers of those involved on a global scale**.