EXCLUSIVE: Romanian FC Arges To Be Downgraded Amid Corruption Scandal

"FC Arges is 99.99% sure to be downgraded following the scandal involving its owner and several referees. There was a proposition, at one point, to let the championship begin with FC Arges in the First League and make a decision when the court gives a final ruling in this case. But what if the court gives a ruling in two months? What do we do then? (…) Besides, offering incentives is punishable,” the sources said.

The cited source added the rumor that FC Arges could be sanctioned and lose 6 points, which would allow it to remain in the First League, is against disciplinary rules.

In the refereeing corruption scandal, anticorruption prosecutors arrested on April 14 FC Arges owner Cornel Penescu, the head of the Central Commission of Referees (CCA) Gheorghe Constantin, businessman Liviu Facaleata and the former manager of the Arges Consumer Protection Office, Cristian Libertatu. Penescu and Liviu Facaleata are accused of offering bribe and Constantin and Libertatu are accused of receiving bribe to fix matches.