UEFA has announced the banning of FK Arsenal Tivat from its competitions for the next 10 seasons.
The Montenegrin club, which played in the first qualifying round of the Europa Conference League in 2023-24, was found guilty of breaches of the “general principles of conduct” and “integrity of matches and competitions and match-fixing”, according to the report published by European football’s governing body.
As a result, it was decided “to fine FK Arsenal Tivat €500,000 and to exclude FK Arsenal Tivat from participating in UEFA club competitions for the next ten (10) years (i.e. up to and including the 2034/35 season) for the violation of Art. 11 and 12 DR” and “to request FIFA to extend worldwide the above-mentioned ban.”
Finalists in the Montenegrin Cup and placed third in the national championship in 2022-23, Arsenal Tivat secured their first European qualification. Faced with Alashkert FC of Armenia in the first preliminary round of the C4, the Montenegrins were soundly beaten 1-6 at home before drawing 1-1 away.
In addition, several individuals have also been sanctioned. Nikola Celebic and Ranko Krgovic, the club’s former player and sporting director respectively, have been “banned from exercising any football-related activity for life”, while three other players have been “banned from exercising any football-related activity for 10 years”.
Sports Talk United has contacted Arsenal Tivat for comment.
