Polish champion relegated!

[Emte]

Zaglebie Lubin punished for match-rigging​

Actual Polish champions Zaglebie Lubin will be demoted by one division at the end of the season for their part in a major match-fixing scandal.

Currently 7th in the 16-team Ekstraklasa, should they finish the campaign in a relegation position, they will start 2008/09 in the third tier of the Polish league. Under the terms of their sentence, they will begin next season with minus ten points and will also have to pay a €40,000 fine. They are the eight club to be punished as a result of a two-year investigation into match-rigging. Arka Gdynia, GKS Górnik Łęczna, KSZO Ostrowiec and KS Górnik Polkowice were all relegated in 2007 for their misdemeanours while TS Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała were docked points. In season 2008/2009 Polish Football Federation will relegate Zaglebie Sosnowiec, Widzew Lodz and Zaglebie Lubin.

Zaglebie Lubin in 2007/2008 season played in 2nd qualifying round of Champions League. They lost against Steaua Bucharest in agrregate 1:3.

 

[Bobby]

Was it out of the blue when they won the title? I'm sorry I don't know anything about the Polish game.

 

[Johnny_Big]

^ second that.

But it's nice to see that. Here in Portugal, they are investigating for like...3/4 years? And nothing.

 

[Tosiek]

Now we can expect exodus of players such as Iwański or Łobodziński to other clubs. I wonder how our league will look alike for about 3 years.:drevil:

 

[Emte]

They fixed matches in 2004/2005 when they were in second division and promoted to ekstraklasa (1st division), so they won the title "legally"

 

[$teauA]

So they won't have their title taken away like it happened to Juve?

 

[thetrooper37]

It sounds like half the league has been relegated over the last 2 years...is it basically full of 2nd division teams now?

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Here's what I don't understand: how can half of the league be involved in match fixing? That doesn't make any sense. If everyone fixes matches, what's the point? It's going to be crooked both ways almost every week when those teams play each other.

 

[Emte]

It sounds like half the league has been relegated over the last 2 years...is it basically full of 2nd division teams now?

No... In fact 5 teams from 1st division has been relegated over the last 2 years for match-fixing: Arka Gdynia, Górnik Leczna (from season 2007/2008) & Zaglebie Sosnowiec, Widzew Lodz, Zaglebie Lubin (from season 2008/2009).
In season 2007/2008 was relegated 4 teams from 1st polish division: Pogon Szczecin, Wisla Plock (two relegation positions in table) and Arka Gdynia, Gornik Leczna (match-fixing), so 4 teams was promoted from 2nd division: Polonia Bytom, Zaglebie Sosnowiec, Jagiellonia Bialystok and Ruch Chorzow.
Zaglebie Sosnowiec played this season in 1st division 5 matches after promotion and suddenly they has been relegated by Polish Football Association. The are still playing in 1st division, but next season they probably will play in 3rd division (last place in league table plus punishment for match-fixing equals double relegation). There are still two relegation places in table, so if Zaglebie Sosnowiec placed one of them and two other clubs has punishment, 4 teams will promote to 1st division once again.
KSZO Ostrowiec, KS Górnik Polkowice and TS Podbeskidzie Bielsko-Biała were in 2nd division when decision about relegation has been made, so "only" 5 teams of eight has been relegated from 1st division in two years (and two teams has been relegated from 2nd division). TS Podbeskidzie (2nd division team) will have only minus points next season.

 

[RobbieD_PL]

Haha, and I thought their participation in the UCL was "too deep" for them.