UEFA has handed a ten-year ban to Arsenal Tivat, a Montenegrin club accused of match-fixing. This scandal, dating back to the summer of 2023, undermines the very foundations of integrity in European football.
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has excluded FK Arsenal Tivat from all its competitions for a ten-year period, until the end of the 2033–2034 season. This historic sanction follows match manipulation during the 2023–2024 UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers against Armenian club Alashkert.
The first leg, played in Armenia, ended in a 1-1 draw. But the return match in Montenegro ended with a crushing 6-1 defeat in favor of Alashkert. This result immediately raised suspicions among European authorities.
Match-Fixing confirmed: Article 12 invoked
UEFA determined that FK Arsenal Tivat violated Articles 11 and 12 of its disciplinary regulations, concerning general principles of conduct and the integrity of matches and competitions. These articles are central to Europe’s framework against sports corruption.
Although UEFA did not disclose specific details of the manipulation, the severity of the sanctions illustrates the magnitude of the violations. UEFA also imposed a €500,000 fine and requested that FIFA extend the sanctions globally.
Severe sanctions against players and officials
The club is not the only one paying the price. Several players and staff members also received individual sanctions, some of them lifetime bans. Notable cases include:
- Nikola Celebic, a veteran with over 300 professional matches, received a lifetime ban from football.
- Ranko Krgovic, a former club official, was also banned for life.
- Cetko Manojlovic, current team captain, was suspended for ten years, along with:
- Radule Zivkovic, now playing for Mladost DG,
- Dusan Puletic, goalkeeper,
- and Milan Vignjevic, another club official.
- Goran Janjusevic, official, received a six-month suspension.
- Greek player Christos Psomiadis was also suspended for six months.
In all cases, UEFA has requested FIFA to make the sanctions enforceable worldwide.
A case that reveals a deeper issue
The Arsenal Tivat case once again raises the burning issue of corruption in so-called “minor” European competitions. While the spotlight is often on major Champions League fixtures, it is frequently the lower-profile qualifying matches that are most vulnerable to manipulation.
UEFA strengthens its integrity policy
This decision marks a step-up in UEFA’s fight against match-fixing. Relying on its Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body, the organization aims to send a clear message to all European clubs: zero tolerance applies at all levels.
Such long-term sanctions remain rare. The exceptional ten-year duration highlights the seriousness of the offences and UEFA’s intent to take strong action and deter others from breaking the rules.
A precedent for the coming years?
The Arsenal Tivat case could become a benchmark for future European campaigns. By working with FIFA to make suspensions globally enforceable, UEFA is creating a legal lock that will be difficult to bypass for sanctioned individuals—they will not be able to simply switch federations to avoid punishment.
It remains to be seen whether this level of rigor will extend to other potential cases, especially in countries where regulation of betting and sports practices remains insufficient. Still, the message is clear: even a modest club from Montenegro can no longer escape the watchful eye of Europe’s football authorities.