Police raid 3 clubs in bung probe

LONDON: English Premier League clubs Newcastle United and Portsmouth and Scottish Premier League club Rangers are all involved in a police investigation into corruption in soccer, the clubs and police confirmed on Monday.

Portsmouth and Rangers both issued statements on Monday confirming that they were among a trio of clubs raided by police earlier in the day.

Northumbria police, meanwhile, confirmed the involvement of Newcastle United. They said that they were aware of an operation at St James' Park, home of the Premier League club.

Portsmouth said in a statement: "We can confirm the police arrived at around 10am this morning.

"We have cooperated fully with their search and will not be commenting further."

Scottish Premier League side Rangers said in its statement: "Rangers Football Club was asked to cooperate with a police investigation and have done so, extending every co-operation.

"We've been requested by police not to comment further while the investigation is ongoing."

All three clubs were searched by police on Monday morning.

Revealing details of the police operation, a City of London police spokesman said: "We can confirm that search warrants were served on three football clubs and the homes of two individuals, between 0730 and 0900 today, in connection with corruption in football and its impact on owners and shareholders."

City of London Police said the investigation was independent of the Stevens inquiry into transfer irregularities that concluded last month.

Former London police chief Lord Stevens and his Quest team examined 362 transfer deals, clearing all but 17 of them.

Of those outstanding, Stevens stopped short of saying there had been clear breaches of regulations - merely that questions to agents about their deals and records had remained unanswered. Clubs and players were all cleared of any suspicion.

Agencies

(China Daily 07/18/2007 page24)