Fifa charges officials after seven penalties in two games

FIFA have brought charges against six match officials involved in alleged match-fixing at an international friendly exhibition tournament, where all seven goals in two matches were from penalty kicks.

Four national teams - Latvia, Bolivia, Estonia and Bulgaria - were invited to Antalya in Turkey last month for a double header. One of the seven spot-kicks was even re-taken after the initial penalty had been missed, while only 100 spectators turned up to watch the matches.

Officials from the four countries involved afterwards raised concerns with Fifa and Uefa, and queried the identities of the match officials. Unusual betting patterns - on the games each having at least three goals - also alerted investigators.

Gustavo Quinteros, the Bolivia coach, said after the game: "For me, he (the referee) invented all three of the penalties, the two against us and the one in favour. It was a disgrace."

Following an investigation, Fifa have now brought charges against six officials. Their identities have not been released but the Hungarian FA last month suspended referee Kolos Lengyel and two other Hungarian assistant referees following the matches in Turkey.

The friendly games were organised by a Thailand-based company called Footy Sport International via a Russian intermediary. Latvia beat Bolivia 2-1 while Estonia and Bulgaria drew 2-2. Estonian Football Association spokesman Mihkel Uiboleht admitted there had been concern about the matches.

He said: "The friendly was organised by an agency with whom we will not work any more. We received information of possible manipulation even before the game as the same agency also organised the match between Latvia and Bolivia and there was the same scenario there."