Colombia: Match-Fixing allegations spark crisis at Deportivo Pasto

Deportivo Pasto President Óscar Casabón accused players of involvement in betting irregularities; Head Coach Camilo Ayala resigns.

Colombian soccer team Deportivo Pasto is involved in a match-fixing scandal after club President Óscar Casabón accused several players of involvement in betting irregularities. 

The allegations came just before a 0-2 defeat to América de Cali and set off a clash between management and the squad.

Casabón said five players would be removed from the team while a formal complaint is filed with the Attorney General’s Office. He cited “unusual gameplay” in matches against Chicó, Medellín, and Cali but did not reveal which players or matches were implicated. 

He stated: “I suspected it since the match with Chicó. Today, we were supposedly going to be losing 2-0 in the first half, just as against Cali. That was the bet.”

Players demanded evidence. Forward Facundo Boné declared: “We propose that if anyone is betting, evidence should be presented, and we will take responsibility for removing them from the locker room ourselves. Pointing fingers at teammates in a situation like this, without knowing whether it is real, is unfair.”

Goalkeeper Diego Martínez, excluded before the match, said in tears: “My parents raised me as a person of integrity, with values and principles, and today they want to stain my name. I leave everything in God’s hands.”

Good to know: In May, seven players from Junior de Barranquilla were implicated in a similar case, when their coach claimed evidence of manipulated outcomes was submitted to authorities

Additionally, the players gained backing from Acolfutpro, the Colombian professional footballers’ association. In a public statement, Acolfutpro criticized the club for bypassing due process and violating players’ rights, arguing that suspicions alone cannot justify public condemnation. 

They emphasized that accusations must be backed by proof and that internal disciplinary procedures under labor law should be respected.

The controversy escalated further with the resignation of Head Coach Camilo Ayala, who stepped down amid the turmoil. 

The club now faces deep internal divisions: management maintains its accusations without providing evidence, while players and their union demand transparency and fair treatment. 

Carlos Mendez

Writer

Odds tell a story long before the result does. When bettors learn to read that story properly, betting becomes a matter of discipline and value rather than emotion or guesswork.

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