Hungary Players, Coach, Organizers Found Guilty of Match-Fixing

A Hungarian judge has found 12 Hungary soccer players and a coach guilty of match-fixing, along with two of the organizers of the scheme, according to the Associated Press (via Fox Sports).

The incidents took place between 2007-2009 on Budapest's REAC team, and the court revealed that players were paid "up to 2,500 euros ($2,840) each per match to ensure results in seven matches in Hungary's top division and league cup." 

The court levied "suspended prison sentences, bans and fines" after concluding the players, organizers and coach were guilty, though two players who accepted bribes but didn't play in the games in question were acquitted after the statute of limitations ran out.

Match-fixing remains a prominent and troubling issue facing the game of soccer.

FIFA recently banned three South African referees for their role in fixing friendlies before the 2010 World Cup and issued bans to several officials and players in an Italian match-fixing scandal as well, while the Zimbabwe Football Association suspended and is investigating Edzai Kasinauyo—an executive committee member—for allegedly attempting to fix two African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Those are just three recent incidents in a long history of the practice in world football. While FIFA and the various football federations around the world continue to monitor and combat the practice of match-fixing, it remains one of the sport's most pressing concerns.

You can follow Timothy Rapp on Twitter.