5BTC or 111% + 111 Free Spins!
New players only. Exclusive 111% Welcome Bonus + 111 Free Spins
UEFA has dropped the hammer on Montenegrin club FK Arsenal Tivat, banning the team from European competitions for the next 10 years after a match-fixing case tied to their 2023 Europa Conference League qualifiers. The decision also affects several current and former players and officials, many of whom now face career-ending sanctions.
Good to know
The situation stems from Arsenal Tivat’s two-leg qualifier against Alashkert last June. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, Arsenal Tivat fell apart in the return game, losing 6-1 at home. That result raised red flags and triggered an investigation.
UEFA cited violations of Article 11 and Article 12 of its disciplinary rules—covering general conduct and match integrity. Although UEFA did not share full details of what occurred behind the scenes, the punishment speaks for itself.
UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body handed Arsenal Tivat a 10-year ban from all UEFA club competitions, along with a €500,000 ($579,460) fine. That penalty will remain in place until the end of the 2033–34 season. The organization also asked FIFA to extend the ban beyond Europe.
The fallout did not stop at the club level. Several individuals connected to the team during that match were also punished.
Nikola Celebic, a veteran with over 300 career matches, received a lifetime ban. Ranko Krgovic, a team official at the time, was also banned for life.
Team captain Cetko Manojlovic and defender Radule Zivkovic, who now plays for Mladost DG, both received 10-year suspensions. Goalkeeper Dusan Puletic and club official Milan Vignjevic were hit with the same length of ban.
Goran Janjusevic, another team official, received a six-month ban. Christos Psomiadis, a Greek player involved with the club, was also suspended for six months.
UEFA has formally requested FIFA to apply all bans globally, making them effective across all leagues and competitions.