The main trial with the former vice-chairman of the Football Association of the Czech Republic, Roman Berber, who, along with other people, faces indictment for corruption in influencing football matches, 16. April 2023 Pilsen. From the left, Tomáš Grímm, Roman Berbr, Michal Káník, Roman Rogoz.
Pilsen – The questioning of the last two defendants continues today at the District Court of Pilsen – the city of the main trial with the former vice-chairman of the Football Association of the Czech Republic, Roman Berber, and other people who face charges of corruption in influencing football matches. The court is scheduled to hear the former sports director of the Slavoj Vyšehrad club Roman Rogoz and football official Martin Pýcha today. The public prosecutor indicted 21 people from the football environment and the club FC Slavoj Vyšehrad. Rogoz, who is one of the four main defendants, and Pýcha tentatively said they did not feel guilty at the start of the trial in April.
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Photo gallery: FAČR corruption – Berbr case
According to the indictment, Berbr was at the head of an organized group that participated in the manipulation of ten matches of the third and second leagues in 2019 and 2020. The state representative accuses Berbra of using his dominant position in FAČR and influencing the appointment of referees at Slavoj Vyšehrad's matches according to Rogoz's demands. According to the indictment, Berbr did this to strengthen and maintain his influence in the association. Selected judges and delegates, as well as one player and an official of competing clubs then helped Vyšehrad to win for a bribe, says the indictment. Rogoz's motivation was the promotion of the club from the third league to the second and its retention in the second league.
Berbr emphatically denied any guilt. Accepting bribes for influencing several matches was admitted by former judge Tomáš Grímm, who is also one of the main defendants. As a cooperating defendant, he entered into a plea agreement with the prosecutor. Former referee Marek Janoch and former player and official Michal Káník also pleaded guilty. However, none of them confirmed in court the prosecution's claim that Berbr was the head of an organized criminal organization.
Another defendant, Petr Tarkovský, admitted that he participated in the money transfer without addressing the reason and details of the transaction. In addition, Berbr confesses to embezzlement with other people for taking money from the Pilsen Regional Football Association through fictitious invoices.
After questioning the remaining defendants, the witnesses will begin to testify. The prosecution proposes to hear eleven of them, the court is considering about five more, others can be proposed by the defense. The file contains the statements of more than 70 witnesses. Playback of recordings and videos taken by the police during the investigation of the case will also be time-consuming.
