BILBAO: European federation UEFA is to consult all its 54 members associatioNs an 11-point plan aimed at combating matchfixing.

General secretary Gianni Infantino, aftr an executive committee meeting in Bilbao, said: “It is important that all over Europe there is as uniform an approach as possible against it.” The scheme is planned to help create a consistency of approach after eight arrests recently in England.

Fenerbahce, Besiktas and Metalist Kharkiv have all been barred from European competition this season for matchfixing.

Infantino reiterated Uefa’s stance to impose “harsh sanctions” on those found guilty of match fixing, but failed to detail the precise measures within its 11-point plan.

He said: “It cannot be that in one country you have one sanction, and another one in a different country for the same offence which goes straight into the soul of football.

“One match fixed is one match too many and we have to fight against this in the most efficient way.”

The draft plan will be sent to the 54 domestic associations, calling on them to agree consistent proposals to put before the Uefa Congress in Astana, Kazakhstan in March for approval.

In England earlier this week six men were charged and released on bail after arrests following an article in the Sun newspaper on Sunday in which ex-Portsmouth player Sam Sodje told an undercover reporter he could arrange yellow and red cards in exchange for cash.

Also this month two non-league footballers were charged with conspiracy to defraud as part of an investigation by the National Crime Agency into matchfixing in the UK.

Michael Boateng and Hakeem Adelakun, both 22, have been sacked by Brighton-based Whitehawk FC from the Conference South.

** UEFA’s executive decided that the next UEFA Futsal Cup will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

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