Russian investigators have opened criminal proceedings against 13 referees for bribery and influencing results in favor of the Torpedo Moscow football club.
Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Wolk told Telegram that the “results of at least 22 games played in the Moscow region and other regions of the Russian Federation were unlawfully influenced.” The accused face penalties of up to seven years in prison.
There were illegal agreements and subsequent unlawful transfers of money, said Wolk. In addition to investigators from the Interior Ministry, employees of the domestic secret service FSB were also involved in the investigation.
Charges have already been brought against the accused. Although they are free under certain conditions, they must remain at their place of residence. Wolk said the investigation was ongoing. The Russian newspaper “Sport-Express” also published most of the names of the accused.
Russian Football Association corrects referee line-up
The Russian Football Federation (RFS) announced that the accused referees had been expelled and that there had been a correction to the line-up for the current season. “The RFS cannot allow people who are under investigation to take part in the games – this is a question of trust in football,” said the chairman of the referee committee, Pavel Kamantsev. If she is later proven innocent, her reinstatement will be discussed.
In the summer of 2025, criminal proceedings had already been initiated against the former general director of Torpedo Moscow, Valery Skorodumov, and the Moscow club’s former co-owner, Leonid Sobolev, for attempting to unlawfully influence the club’s games in the First League. According to Russian media, Sobolev confessed to bribing referees.
