'Match-fixing' arrests in France

Reports emerged in the French press on Tuesday morning that officials from several clubs had been taken into custody, although French Police had yet to officially give any confirmation.

But LFP president Frederic Thiriez announced in a statement on Tuesday morning that arrests had been made and vowed to take action if any of the suspicions proved to be correct.

"I confirm to you that, on the instruction of the Parisian judges, Mr Tournaire and Mr Robert, searches were carried out and several people taken into custody yesterday and this morning by the SCCJ (France's police taskforce for racing and gambling) over suspicions of rigging of matches in Ligue 2 during last season," he said.

"If these suspicions are proven, it's an extremely grave situation for football as a whole, for the LFP, organiser of the league and for myself, on a personal basis, because I have always put the ethics and integrity of football at the heart of my actions.

"Professional football has done a lot in the way of battling corruption, money-laundering and betting fraud through liaison with the police services, notably the SCCJ, or TRACFIN (French Ministry of Finances' taskforce).

"Corruption, or even the mere suspicion of corruption or fraud, is a deadly poison for sport in general and football in particular. Who does it serve if the public, the fans, the supporters no longer have confidence in the truth of the results?

"I hope therefore that the police and courts shed light on this affair. The defendants can be presented to the judge as soon as possible. Clearly, the LFP and the FFF (French Football Federation) will be a civil party to defend the honour of football.

"And if the facts of corruption, fraud, rigging or even tentative efforts are proved, the LFP will take disciplinary or administrative action, individual or collective, which will be in the strongest possible form.

"At this stage, I can't tell you anything more given the secrecy of the investigation."