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  • Macedonia-Canada friendly was fixed: WikiLeaks


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    ccs-54-140264007097_thumb.jpgJulian Assange hates Canadian soccer.

    Or maybe he loves it.

    It's probably neither, as even the highly-scrutinized new champion of free speech would be frustrated by the historical roller-coaster ride that is being a supporter of the Canadian game.

    What Assange does love however, is exposing corruption. And world football is a breeding ground for the stuff.

    [PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]

    All of that in mind, this week brings about the renewed allegation that lowly Canada, currently sandwiched between Moldova and Malawi in 84th place in the FIFA world rankings, was involved in a fixed match in 2009.

    No, this isn't the Merlion Cup scandal all over again. The Canadian men's team has not been accused of any wrong-doings. Neither has the Macedonian side, Canada's opponent in the November 14, 2009 international friendly.

    Under suspicion is referee Anton Genov of Bulgaria. Genov was actually suspended by UEFA shortly after the match was played, and the Bulgarian referee commission was fired around the same time.

    At issue was the extremely bizarre way Genov called the match, specifically the unusually high number of penalties given. Those who watched the match will likely recall just how easily the penalty kicks - two to each side, including a very dubious one in second-half injury time - were awarded.

    "Anything was really a foul. It was along those lines, any sort of contact was a foul," Canadian coach Stephen Hart told The Canadian Press on at the time of the referee's suspension.

    "The penalty situation, it was just odd that four penalties would be called."

    The January, 2010 cable released by WikiLeaks, written by U.S. deputy chef de mission to Sofia Susan Sutton, connects Bulgarian soccer as a whole to organized crime figures who use the game "as a way to legitimize themselves, launder money, or make a fast buck.”

    UEFA's investigation seems to confirm those allegations, at least where referee Genov is concerned, citing “obvious irregular betting patterns” during the match.



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