Published: Today at 00:13
WHISTLEBLOWER Claus Lundekvam says he will talk to FIFA — and he will stand by his story about Premier League spot-fixing.
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World soccer chiefs have launched a probe after SunSport revealed former Southampton skipper Lundekvam’s extraordinary confession that he and some team-mates made money betting on their own matches.
Tracked down to Bergen in Norway, where he is a TV pundit, Lundekvam said: “Of course I will talk to FIFA — I have no problem with that.
“Unfortunately I’ve been honest about it, so I need to. I don’t know how it will work, if they will come to me and ask for an interview or clarification of what happened.
“I will obviously have some names and matches. But, to be honest, I wouldn’t say any more than I have said already if I don’t have to. I would not want to name anyone else. That’s not for me to do but I will stand up for what I have said.”
Lundekvam had said his Saints clique had “for a while” bet on incidents like first throw-in “almost every week”.
He clarified that it was for a short time, probably during the 1996-97 season.
But he is adamant they staked up to £2,000 a time on a handful of games and that players from other clubs were in on the scams and were involved in their own spot-fixing.
Lundekvam said: “We needed a little bit of help from the opposition. Normally it was just the first throw-in so we booted it out. I know for a fact that there were other teams that did the same.”
Some of Lundekvam’s former Saints team-mates have insisted they knew nothing about the scam.
Ex-striker David Hirst said: “I have never been involved in anything like that at any club and I have never heard of players doing it anywhere.”
Francis Benali, another former Saints skipper, even hinted that Lundekvam had made up the story following his problems with drink and drugs after his career ended.
But Lundekvam, 39, said: “I understand that players who I played with say they never saw it and maybe they didn’t. That’s fine.
“But I haven’t made anything up. Why would I? I’ve got nothing to gain from making this up.
“I can’t believe what has happened in the last few days. I’m sorry that my honesty has caused such a row.”
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