There are videos, scandal in South America due to corruption network of referees, several countries involved

A new scandal has rocked Colombian football, with serious allegations of match-fixing emerging from Brazil. William Rogatto, a Brazilian businessman known as the "King of Relegation" due to his alleged involvement in manipulating match results in Brazil, has claimed that two Colombian first-division referees worked for him.

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Testifying before Brazil's Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry, Rogatto provided what he claims is concrete evidence, including videos, to support his allegations. The businessman, who has previously been investigated for match-fixing in Brazil's Serie A3, admitted to being involved in an extensive illegal betting network operating in at least nine countries.

"I have videos of two referees from Colombia, in the Colombian first division, who worked for me recently," Rogatto declared, sending shockwaves through Colombian football. His statements have cast a shadow over the integrity of some of the country's top referees and triggered an immediate response from the Colombian Football Federation (FCF).

Rogatto detailed his modus operandi, explaining how he would offer substantial bribes to referees in exchange for influencing match outcomes. "A referee today earns around R$ 7,000 per game. I paid them R$ 50,000. Isn't it strange that a referee goes to the VAR and awards a penalty, even when the VAR is saying otherwise?" the Brazilian businessman questioned.

The revelations have highlighted the deep-rooted corruption that plagues Colombian football. Rogatto argued that the low salaries of referees make them vulnerable to the temptations offered by gambling syndicates. "The trigger for football is the mafia, which is the confederation, the CBF, that has reserves and doesn't spend. It's so simple, it's such perfect mathematics, that you can't see who wouldn't want it," he asserted.

The Colombian Football Federation has vowed to conduct a thorough investigation into Rogatto's allegations, working closely with the Attorney General's Office. The scandal has sparked widespread concern in Colombia, where football is a national passion. The public is demanding swift and decisive action to address the issue of match-fixing and restore faith in the sport.