SVT Sport and Expressen reported on Thursday that a criminal investigation into suspected match-fixing had been opened. The head of the preliminary investigation, Andreas Morander, confirmed to TT that three players had been served with notices of suspicion. The suspected offence is said to have taken place in 2023.
Journalist and author Andréas Sundberg recently wrote a well-received book that gives the story significant attention.
Sundberg describes a deep and bitter power struggle within the football club, which is said to have led to the suspected match-fixing.
“Too agent-controlled”
For several years, a particular agency, which is said to have criminal connections, grew increasingly powerful within the club and eventually gained a disproportionate amount of influence.
The club was far too agent-controlled. It was an agency that had far too much say and can be linked to people with criminal connections, says Sundberg.
The agency placed key players in the squad early on and used them as bargaining chips to sign their teammates. Eventually, more than half the squad was represented by the same network.
The situation escalated when a competing agency also gained a foothold at the club, and the dressing room was split into two hostile camps.
It got to the point where, despite playing for the same team, they didn't talk to each other. They were enemies and didn't welcome new players from the other agency.
"Extremely damaging"
The rift came to a head when a new head coach linked to the rival agency took over. Several established players were left out of the starting eleven, and according to reports, three influential players planned a boycott to get the coach fired.
The coach received information from players on the team that others, who were linked to this agency, were planning to lose so that he would be fired. It's a power play between two different agencies where players want the coach to go, says Sundberg.
The events have had serious consequences. The police are investigating suspected match-fixing, while the club is facing heavy criticism for having lost control of its operations.
In hindsight, it has been incredibly damaging. It means that money from one of Sweden's largest clubs is being funneled into criminal activities. It's super damaging, of course, says Sundberg.
TT has contacted the football club.
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