The Romanian Football Auth Called For Bribe Probes Two Years Ago – FRF Official

"The Romanian Football Federation, through president Mircea Sandu, has officially asked authorities, two years ago, to investigate referees and people in football. This happened two years ago and it is not a joking matter. I am convinved all phones were tapped. Mine? Of course, mine I believe has been tapped for five years now. I only fear the wrath of God. Other than that, I’m not afraid of anything," said Dragomir, who is also president of the Romanian Professional Football League.

Dragomir went on saying the arrests operated in the football corruption case are abusive: "These are great abuses. These people are not murderers. The law states clearly that they need to be a menace to society. But corrupt referees are not a menace to society."

Romanian referees Marcel Savaniu, Sorin Corpodean and Marcel Lica were placed under preventive arrest Thursday for 29 days by the Arges Court, on charges of bribe taking.

Defense attorneys immediately appealed the decision.

The three were detained Wednesday by anticorruption prosecutors after several hours of hearings and were charged with bribe taking.

Last week, the court ruled on the preventive arrest of Arges football club owner Cornel Penescu, former Central Commission of Referrers president Gheorghe Constantin, PIC hypermarket manager Liviu Facaleata and former Arges County Consumer Protection Office director Cristian Libertatu.

Penescu and Facaleata are charged with giving bribe, while Constantin and Libertatu are charged with taking bribe.