World Cup qualifiers free of match-fixing – FIFA

The first phase of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa has shown no signs of match-fixing, FIFA said.

World soccer's governing body issued a statement saying the early warning system set up to monitor gambling on international matches had found "no irregular betting activities during the first phase of the 2010 FIFA World Cup preliminary competition.

"It can therefore be concluded that there have been no attempts from betting circles to influence or manipulate approximately 90 matches that have been played since August 2007."

Suspicions of match-fixing were raised last week when European soccer's governing body UEFA said it had forwarded a dossier containing information on 15 matches to European police. UEFA said the matches had been brought to their attention because of irregular betting patterns rather than any hard evidence of wrongdoing by any of the clubs involved.

The organisation has begun a disciplinary investigation into one match, an Intertoto Cup game between Bulgarian side Cherno More Varna and Macedonia's Makednija Skopje.

UEFA said Cherno More had been charged with bribery but have so far given no further details. Cherno More officials have denied the allegations.